Shock Therapy
by Egoperceptum
Summary: Emma arrives at the cannery to drag Regina to safety. While the brunette is recovering from her ordeal, Emma opts to seclude and protect her in hopes of stalling her captors. However, the blonde has bitten off more than she bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

"She's passed out again." Mendell intoned disappointedly.

"You torture her much more and she won't be any use to us." Tamera said with a bite of impatience in her voice but checked her emotions under the wounded, puppy eyes her partner turned on her. "Look, I understand." She placed a hand on his arm and gazed down at Regina's prone, sweating form strapped to the table. The skin under the electrodes on her temples and arms was beginning to blister and swell. "We need to focus on the greater good: reporting the information."

"And what of my father? Just give up? After all this?"

"I don't think she's talking, mate." Hook appeared at the door and gestured over Regina's body with his sharp, metal limb. "If there is one thing I've learned from working with Regina; it's that she's stubborn as hell."

Mendell advanced on the pirate. "Look, _mate_," he said menacingly, "I didn't ask for your advice."

"Consider it a loan." The dashing fellow said with a dazzling and wolf-like smile. "But I'm telling you, Regina will die before she admits defeat." Tamera gave him a cold, scathing look. He shrugged and leaned against the door casually.

"Remember this, pirate." Mendell said, eyes burning. "If she doesn't talk, then we have no lead on my father which means you are of no use to us. Therefore, we're under no obligation to help you enact your vengeance on your crocodile."

He turned back to Regina and placed a hand on her neck; checking her pulse with rough fingers. His eyes attempting to bore into her mind; as if to unlock the information by force. But the woman simply breathed deeply through her nose in her unconscious state.

Hook shrugged and exited the small building. "I'm going to stand at the pier."

"Fine, stay out of sight." Tamera said before leaving Greg in the room with the restrained brunette. Hook tipped his head sardonically to them.

Emma and Henry had split up from her parents to scour the city; looking for Regina. She looked down at Henry as he kicked a rock along the sidewalk. "Hey kid, we're going to find her." She said with conviction. He glanced up.

"I don't want her to be hurt." He shrugged. "But I don't want to really see her either."

"I understand." Emma put a hand on his shoulder as they turned down the street. "She's your mom; she raised you for ten years and you turned out ok, right?"

He gave a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, I guess. I did…do…I do love her."

"I know." Emma said quietly. "And that makes it harder."

"Yeah, I mean she's bad. I get it…but I remember a time she wasn't."

Emma's mind was flooded suddenly with Regina's dark, vulnerable eyes locked onto hers. That day at the mine and then the night she rushed out of the party when Regina apologized with an earnest edge to her voice. Emma knew that voice; knew that tone. She knew it was real. _Why Regina? Why go back from that?_

"You're getting old enough to know that things aren't black or white. They're more tones gray, Henry. People do good things or bad things because they've had things happen to them that make them feel like they should."

"Snow does good, but she killed Cora."

"Yes."

"You lied to me."

Emma swallowed hard. "I did."

"Because you love me."

"Yes."

"My mom wanted to put a spell on me to make me love her."

"She wanted to because she loves you but she didn't because she loves you too much."

"That's messed up." Henry said and Emma laughed. It was somewhat humorless and sounded harsh even to her ears.

"Yeah, kid. That's life though…or at least life in Storybrook." She squeezed his shoulder just as the phone on her hip rang. They both looked down and Emma pulled the phone up to peer at the number. "Who is this?" She wondered aloud before answering. "Hello?" She was met with silence. Well, not total silence. The sound of wind and calling gulls came to her ears. "Helloooo?" She questioned again. "Who is this?"

More semi-silence. She could hear a creaking in the background and a tingling sensation began at the base of her skull as it always did when she knew sensed something amiss. "Wrong number?" Henry asked.

"Yeah." She hung up and shrugged convincingly. "I guess so. Maybe someone butt dialed me?" Henry smiled. But the niggling in the back of her brain continued. "Look kid, let's go to Granny's and see if anyone has seen her. " She text her parents and told them to meet her there.

As Henry and Snow sat down, Emma lingered with James at the counter. "I'm going to backtrack and head over to Regina's house in a bit."

"We've already checked there."

"I know." She shrugged. "But maybe she's magicked a secret room or something? And as I'm the only one with magic…" she implied her qualifications and he looked at her hard.

"Ok."

"I want you to keep Henry. I don't want him with me if I have to confront her. She's vicious on a good day, if I corner her it would be like fighting a tiger with a spork."

A worried smiled tightened his young face. "Ok, Emma." He said. "Good luck." She waved a hand and headed out.

Getting in her bug, she powered it up and headed toward the docks. The blonde felt this was where she needed to be. After the mysterious phone call with the sea-side sounds over the cell connection, she had a hunch that someone was leading her here. Emma knew it could be a trap but she was counting on her bounty hunter experience to keep her safe.

She parked the yellow car several blocks away and clicked the safety off her gun as she crept up to the smattering of dilapidated buildings beside the water. Peeking around a corner quietly, she saw Mendell's car and her suspicions were confirmed. It seemed that someone had chosen to tip her off.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N- Thanks for the reviews, the story will begin to move along quite a bit now. I apologize for the brevity of the first chapter, I was honestly not sure where even I was going with this story until recently. Please let me know what you think...and be forewarned that this will be SwanQueen of the smoldering, slow-burning kind.

Disclaimer- Obviously, I do not own the characters. Thanks in advance for not suing.

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She crept up to the grungy windows just as the door burst open. Diving desperately behind a collection of large containers, she hunkered down and shook blonde curls out of her face. Tamara came striding out with Mendell on her heels.

"Greg, we've spent too much time working on her already."

_Working on her?_ Emma's stomach sank. She didn't need to wonder who the _her_ they were referring to had to be.

"I can't leave without knowing." His eyes pleaded. "Please, she'll tell us, just a bit more-"

But the woman cut him off. "No, no more. She's taken a great deal more than I expected she could already. To subject her to more torture would mean death; she's no good to us dead."

The tall man swore and punched the building. Emma flinched and drew her gun; just in case. "Easy, mate. You could lose a hand that way." Hook's voice cut through the plan the blonde had been formulating in her mind. She heard another bang and a grunt of pain and chanced a peek over the containers to see Mendell with Hook pinned to the wall. The pirate grinned.

"Greg, he's useful. Let him down." Tamara's voice rang out sharply and Emma heard another grunt and a body connect with the ground. "I need to get back; Neil will wonder where I am."

"I'll stay-"

"No, you need to get back to town as well."

"You don't trust me not to kill her." His voice held hurt.

"No, frankly I don't. Love and the love of revenge can make even good people do bad things." Tamara said. "Leave the pirate here to watch her. She tried to kill him anyway. He'll keep a good eye on her."

Emma heard two pairs of feet walk away and car doors slam. The door to the warehouse opened and closed as Hook retreated inside. The vehicle started and drove away and the blonde was thankful that she had parked so far away and hidden her car well. She peeked around the containers and crouched; slinking to the door and opening it quietly. _Thank god, the idiot pirate left the door unlocked._

Entering the building, the light was low and the blonde's eyes adjusted to the dark quickly as she looked around for Hook. Finding him absent, she moved about the warehouse stealthily toward the back of the building where there was a whirling sound being emitted. Stepping inside silently, she found Hook leaned over a table.

Emma's eyes widened as she took in the tousled form of the vulnerable mayor. She raised her gun and said in a clear voice. "Step away from her." Hook whirled and backed up in surprise. But his astonished look was quickly transformed to a grin.

"Ah, hello love." He smiled and put his hands in the air. "Going to shoot me?"

"Hopefully not." Her eyes glanced to the machine and electrodes stuck to the brunette's body. "What have you done?"

"Not me. Mendell. Torturing her to learn the whereabouts of his father."

"She's still alive."

"Yes." He cocked his head. "I'm surprised you care."

"I care for Henry."

"Ah yes," he smiled again. "Of course." Then he looked back at Regina. "The Queen is a tough old girl." He commented. "She's taken twice the dose of…medication that many would be able to stand. Probably because of the magic still in her body."

"Medication?" Emma's eyes took in the equipment once more. "Electricity? They've been shocking her? Why?"

"Fights the magic." He shrugged.

Emma's face was stunned but she shook it off and glanced to the closet behind him. "Get in there."

"I'm a pirate." He said slowly. "I don't do tight spaces."

"I could shoot you." She offered and shrugged.

"Right." He backed into the closet and she walked over to lock it securely and then drug a table in front of it before turning to Regina.

"Shit." She said under her breath and leaned over to detach the electrodes and wires, noticing the blistering on the skin under the equipment. What was it that she had learned about electric shock? Was it better for there to be blisters on the skin or no? Emma shook her head and started on the straps before pausing. Perhaps it would be better to wake the mayor first before unleashing her?

Regina could feel someone slapping her roughly. She tossed her head away from the source of her discomfort. A strong backhand snapped her into consciousness. Her eyes sprang open in the dim light and above her, Emma's frowning face leapt into view.

"Miss Swan?" her voice was hoarse and her throat dry.

"Regina, thank god!" The blonde burst. "I'm going to unstrap you."

"Tamara, Mendell-"

"Are gone, but could be back any second."

"Hook-"

"Is in the closet." Emma said and Regina dropped her head back on the table. "Stay with me, Regina." The blonde said. "As much as I loved slapping you around-"

"That's quite alright, Miss Swan." There was the familiar bite and Emma almost smiled in relief. She unstrapped the brunette and helped her sit up.

The room spun and Regina clamped her eyes shut. "Give me a minute."

"We might not have a-"

"One minute!" The brunette growled and opened her eyes again; the anger giving her purpose. "You need to destroy the machine in the other room. The idiots were transmitting data. Destroy the machine and we end their connection."

Emma started to argue but shut her mouth and went into the other room. The brunette touched her forearms and temples gingerly; willing her body to heal. But nothing came from her fingertips. Her dark eyes snapped to the leather band on her arm as the realization of her vulnerability washed over her once more. She heard banging and bashing from the other room as Emma took out her frustration on the offending machine. The brunette's only regret was that she wasn't able to help.

The blonde came stomping back into the room and looked at the mayor with apprehension. Regina stared back defiantly and swung her legs over the table to slip to the floor. She clutched the table for support as her knees buckled. Her muscles felt like stretched-out rubber bands. She sank to one knee as Emma rushed over and grabbed her under the arms. "The electricity might have damaged you nervous system. You'll have to lean on me."

"I'd rather not-"

"Yeah, and I'm _so_ excited to be half-carrying you." She mumbled and took Regina roughly by her small waist before looking down at her heels. "Take off your shoes. You will do better barefoot."

"Absolutely not-"

"I'm sure you have a trillion other pairs of Jimmy Choos." Emma kicked them out from under her and pulled a reluctant Regina along.

"Actually, I don't." The brunette looked at her appraisingly; obviously surprised Emma had known the brand. "Those are my favorite."

"I think designer shoes are a small price to pay for your life, Regina." Emma threw back; nearly dragging the shorter woman from the building and down several alleyways. Regina tried to focus on lifting one leg after another but it was extremely difficult; her muscles just didn't seem to want to do what she told them to.

"Where are we going?"

"My car."

"Did you park a mile away?" Her voice was full of venom as her limbs trembled; she didn't know how much longer her legs would hold her and her head was throbbing painfully.

"Yeah, the pumpkin carriage wouldn't fit back here." At this, Regina's legs gave out and she sank to the ground. Emma looked down at her on her knees.

"Go ahead." Regina snarled with fire.

"What?"

"Make a comment about bringing me to my knees."

"I wasn't going to." Emma said honestly.

"No clever quip about how the mighty have fallen?"

"Between the two of us, you were the only one that believed you were mighty, Regina." Emma sighed and then squatted down; looking right into the dark eyes. "I'm going to carry you the rest of the way."

"I don't think-" Regina began with a nose in the air until Emma pulled her up, lowered her body and tipped the weak woman over her strong shoulder. "Miss Swan!" Regina shouted as she was suddenly confronted with Emma's shapely backside. She squirmed as she dangled over the woman's body and Emma stumbled.

"Jesus, Regina! Stay still!" she tightened her hold by wrapping her right arm around the woman's slim waist and placing her left hand on the back of her upper thigh, under her ass.

"Put me down!"

"And drag you the rest of the way? I don't think so. We need to get out of here and you can't walk. I'm being practical."

"I don't need your chivalry-"

"You think this is chivalry?" Emma's left hand tightened on her thigh a bit and she smirked at the sharp intake of breath that Regina let out.

"Get your hands off of me."

"I could drop you on your ass and drag you by your hair." Emma suggested as she carried the seething brunette down the alleys and crossed to the car. She lowered her to the car hood none-to-gently before retrieving her keys. Regina's anger had given her strength and she hobbled to the passenger side as Emma unlocked the door.

She fell into the car, curled her legs, and slammed the door as Emma got in beside her. The ride back to town was silent as Regina steamed and Emma cut her eyes nervously to the woman. She was itching to question her but dared not take her to the station. She also knew that the woman needed medical attention but that she couldn't very well take her to the hospital.

Deciding to play it safe, for now, Emma pulled up to Regina's house. The brunette stared at her hard. "Not going to book me, Sheriff?"

"You know I can't do that." Emma laughed and opened the door to walk around. Regina had used all her strength to press open the door and slam it. The blonde watched her silently as the woman took a step and faltered on her weak legs. "Regina?" Emma called as the brunette took another regal step and sank lower. "Stubborn woman." The blonde mumbled before catching her around the waist, lifting an arm around her own shoulders and supporting her to the house. Emma took out her key ring and fitted the house key into the lock.

"Why, Miss Swan, do you have a key to my house?"

"Henry."

"Ah, I had forgotten." Regina said softly as the blonde helped her inside, up the stairs, and dumped her onto the bed.

"I'll be back with some water and pain reliever. Do you have a first aid kit?"

"Middle drawer in the kitchen." Regina laid back into her sheets and closed her eyes. Her head felt as though it was cleaved in two.

"Be back in a minute."

Emma found Regina sleeping when she came back. Still fully clothed in her red blouse and pencil skirt. The woman frowned even in her sleep; creases marring her flawless brow and downward tilt twisting her lips. The blonde shook her head and sat down on the bed. The brunette stirred and sat up quickly before groaning a bit.

"I brought some crackers…" she slapped the saltines down on the bedside table. "I wouldn't eat much for now. Just enough to get the pain killer in you. You will probably be nauseous for a while. "

"Is that your medical opinion, Miss Swan?"

"If you would rather, I could call Dr. Whale-"

"That's quite alright, dear." Regina dismissed and snatched the water and pills from her hand. "I'm sure I'll live."

"Right." Emma scooted to the end of the bed; still within arm's length should Regina swoon. "I need to know what happened, Regina."

"I don't see that you do."

"I just saved your life." Emma pointed out.

"I didn't ask you to."

"Goddamn it, Regina." Emma sighed. "Did you ask any of those other times?"

The brunette remained quiet for a moment before taking a deep breath. She explained who Mendell was and what he wanted. Why he had been electrocuting her and what he sought to gain from it. At every layer that was unraveled, Emma found her incredulity increasing. "The first aid kit, dear?" Emma handed it over and Regina began to doctor her temples and arms.

"So what happened to him, Mendell's father?"

"I wiped his memory and sent him on his way."

"That's why he didn't search for Greg or Owen…or whatever."

"Yes."

"How? And why not just kill him?"

Regina's eyes flashed. "Why? Contrary to popular belief, I'm not evil. I don't enjoy killing, Miss Swan."

"That's not what I meant."

"Yes, it is." Regina said scathingly. "I received help from another magical being from this world to wipe his memory. Murder is messy." She shuddered a bit and closed her eyes. "Now, if you would be so kind as to leave; I must rest."

"I'll just be down the hall."

"What?!" Regina's eyes flew open again. "You're not leaving?"

"They'll come looking for you when they find Hook. They used a security override on the alarm in your office; they can get in here. I'm staying to protect you."

"Henry could hardly blame you for my death if-"

"I would blame myself if you died and I could have stopped it." Emma stood and walked to the door. Regina watched her with suspicious eyes.

"Trying save even me, Miss Swan?"

"Only you can save you, Regina. I'm just here to make sure you get that chance." She walked out leaving a very surprised brunette behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Emma?" Came the worried voice over the phone. "Where have you been? We drove by Regina's and you weren't there."

"I'm here now, with the queen herself."

"What? You found her?"

Emma sighed, "Yes." She then explained what she had heard and seen and how she had found Regina. "They were torturing her with electricity."

"Is she alright?" There was an odd quality to Snow's voice but her daughter didn't comment.

"Yeah, she's just as sweet as ever."

"Are you going to stay with her?"

Emma paused, wondering how far to push. "I am actually. They will come looking for her to finish the job. They won't want their agenda exposed. She needs protecting."

"But her magic-"

"Is apparently on hiatus. Or they have some way of fighting it. How else would they have gotten Regina Mills strapped to a table and been able to run electrical currents through her body until she passed out?" Emma ran a hand through her hair.

"Hmm…so she doesn't have magic." Snow said softly.

"That's what I said."

"This could be good for her."

"I'm pretty sure recovering from near electrocution can't be good for anyone."

"No, Emma." Snow sighed. "I mean doing without magic in a world of magic." The woman explained. "If there were going to be any moment of redemption for Regina, it would be now."

Emma sighed, "There you go; wanting to redeem her again." Emma shook her head and wandered about the immaculate house. "You can't fix her, Henry can't fix her; she has to fix herself. No one else can want it for her; it won't stick until she wants it for herself." The blonde huffed.

"But you do think it can happen?" Snow's voice was strange and Emma paused in her ransacking of the refrigerator to consider her mother's question.

"I think anything is possible. She did some shitty stuff. Like for real." Emma sighed. "But what example did she have to follow? Cora? Rumplestilskin? I mean, we act the way we have been treated initially." She picked an apple off the counter and eyed it suspiciously before sniffing it delicately. "She kept trying to earn respect and love through fear and obedience; she's not the first and won't be the last. The things she has done are terrible and I'm sure that there are many that will never forgive her."

"There are many that have over and over and over." Her mother said quietly.

"Fair point." Emma set down the apple and picked up an orange instead. "And I know you tried to set the example for her, by loving her but she couldn't trust you after you betrayed her-"

"I was a child-"

"About Henry's age?" Emma cut her off. "Come on, Snow. Would Henry have told that secret?" the silence on the other end was deafening. "Look, I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings. I'm on your side. I know that you've apologized to Regina before and I know that made you feel better but frankly….if someone had done to me what you did to her…I would be about as forgiving as the proverbial Evil Queen."

"So what do we do now?"

"Now? We alert Neal." Emma peeled the orange and sank a piece into her mouth, smacking her lips frankly. "And slip the information to a few others like Leroy, the Blue Fairy, and Granny. They'll keep an eye on things while I keep an eye on Little Miss Sunshine upstairs."

"And what of Henry?" Snow's voice was soft.

"I'd really like to have him with me….but with having Regina here." She gestured around to the large house. "I don't want him to get caught in the crossfire of a fight." She popped another piece of orange into her mouth before looking around that house. "As a matter of fact, I would rather not be _here_ at all. It's too open and big to protect properly unless I quarantine her to one room."

"I'm sure that would go well." Snow said sarcastically. "But I do agree. That house would be too easy to infiltrate. In the Enchanted Forest, I would have been in there in two seconds flat."

Emma smiled at the image of her mother breaking into a castle or some such other structure. "Yeah, we need to "Snow" proof it. Then we'll know we're safe."

"We'll bring Henry over later and discuss all together." Snow offered casually.

"I'm not sure that would be-"

"We need Regina on the same page with us." Snow interrupted confidently. "She's going to have to get over her pride."

"Easier said than done." Emma muttered and finished her orange.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N- Thanks for the reviews. In response to them, I would like to say, yes...this is a slow burning affair. Kinda like indigestion; frustrating as hell to experience, but once it's over the relief is glorious. The next few chapters are pretty fluffy. I wanted to pace myself; to challenge myself to exert self-control over my smutty mind. Don't hate; enjoy ;)

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Regina awoke from her nap. Her headache was gone but she still felt wobbly and nauseous and out of sorts. The brunette sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed before standing. She did so slowly and with jerky movements; her body didn't seem to want to cooperate. She shook her head and tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other on her way to the bathroom. She needed a shower to wash the events of the past two days off her body.

Emma was washing her hands in the sink when she heard a thud from upstairs. Her eyes flew upward and she threw herself out of the kitchen and took the stairs several at a time. "Regina?" She called as she entered the room. She could see the light on in the bathroom and the door ajar. She burst through it to find the brunette on her hands and knees clad only in her underwear.

Emma's eyes went immediately to the ground when the brunette's icy tones met her ears. "Miss Swan, leave."

"What are you doing on the ground?"

"I lost a contact." The woman snarled sarcastically.

"I heard you fall."

"Yes, I suppose I made quite a bang." She said and clutched the sink to attempt to drag herself up. She couldn't quite make it, though and Emma rolled her eyes. For what seemed the millionth time that day, she took pulled her to her feet. Taking the brunette by the hips, she lifted her to sit on the cover of the toilet before kneeling before her and poking her knee caps gingerly. "Ow." She hissed and batted her away.

"You have got to be more careful, Regina." Emma said as she lightened her touch and looked up at the woman.

"I would have thought you would glory in my afflictions, Sheriff."

Emma rolled her eyes again. "Would I have carried you two blocks and gone through the trouble of bringing you asprin if I wanted to see you in pain?"

"There is more pain than just the physical." Regina's eyes held a hard edge but her voice was somewhat soft.

Emma looked up at her warily. "I'm aware of that." She stood, crossed to the tub and looked in. She pulled the fancy shower head from its holder and let it dangle before arranging all the bottles of shampoo and soap on the floor of the tub. "I'll help you in and close the curtain. You'll have to shower sitting down."

The blonde pulled the woman up and tried not to notice the cleavage that was pressed against her. After helping her in and lowering her to her butt, Emma closed the curtain. "Why are you doing all this?" Regina's voice called through the material.

"Because Henry needs you, Regina."

"Henry hates me."

"He loves you too." The blonde sighed and grabbed a robe and towel, dropping them within arm's reach of the tub. "He's really conflicted right now. The kid was really upset when he thought you were in danger."

"Was he?" Regina sounded small and vulnerable and was glad the shower curtain separated them so that the blonde couldn't see the emotions crossing her face.

"Yes, Henry has seen the best in you. But unfortunately, he's also seen the worse. The kid needs to believe that you can be better."

"And what about you, Miss Swan? Do you believe I can be better?" The mocking tone was not lost on Emma.

"Well, honestly, I've seen few tougher cases than you. But I don't believe anything is impossible. Love is a powerful motivator." She said and exited the bathroom.

The blonde sat down in the lounge in Regina's room and put her head in her hands. She could hear the curtain creak as the brunette divested herself of her remaining clothing and then turned on the water. She text her father and asked him to have Henry call her. Not a minute later, her phone rang.

"Mom."

"Hey kid." She smiled.

"Is my mo-…is Regina ok?"

"She's pretty banged up but she'll be perfectly fine."

"Grandma said she doesn't have magic."

"That's true."

"Is it gone forever?" his voice sounded hopeful.

"We don't know yet." Emma said and leaned back, clunking her boots to the floor and crossing her ankles on the lounge. "We're going to discuss that tonight. You can come if you would like but you don't have to if you don't want." Emma could picture him gnawing his lip in uncertainty.

"I want to come. I want to see that she's ok."

"Of course." Emma said and smiled. "Henry, I have a special mission for you." She lowered her voice secretly.

"For me?"

"Yeah, it's a secret."

"Ok!" his voice was excited. "What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to show your mom-…Regina what real love is like, this is very important."

"How?"

Emma tried to find the right words. "Well, you know what Cora was like?"

"Yeah, real bad. Worse than Rumpelstilskin."

"Right. So imagine if that had been your mom."

"Eww."

"Exactly." Emma smiled. "Regina needs to see what real love looks like. You can show her that. It will help her get better."

"Like not be bad anymore?"

"Hopefully so, kid. I can't make promises. But if she sees what she's missing out on, if she understands the respect and trust that goes with real love, she might decide that's more important to her than anything else."

"And she might try to change." Henry said. "I understand." He was quiet for a moment. "We need a new code name, because it's a secret."

"You're right." Emma laughed.

"Something that reminds us of Regina."

"Well it can't be a snake." Emma muttered.

"What?"

"I said how about a cat or something?"

"A cat?"

"Have you ever had a staring contest with a cat?" Emma pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Oh yeah…." He trailed off. "Operation Cougar?"

Emma's mind flew to the cleavage that had been pressed to her body and the soft skin under her hands. Regina Mills was a cougar alright. "No."

"Why not?"

"Cougars are….tan." she said weakly. "Regina has dark hair."

"Right…what about Operation Panther?"

_That's more like it._ "Yeah, panther works fine kid." Emma heard the water shut off in the bathroom and the curtain rustling aside. "Look, I need to go. But I'll see you tonight?"

"Alright, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, Henry." Emma felt a tightness in her chest and a smile tug her lips. She hung up and stood, crossing to the door. "Madam Mayor? Do you require assistance?"

"I think I can manage to towel off on my own, Sheriff."

"Not if you can't stand." Emma muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said, 'Damn, and I was looking forward to holding your hand." She lied, knowing the quip would anger the woman and give her an odd sense of strength.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, dear." Regina called back as she clutched the counter for support; willing her legs to hold her as she wrapped the robe around herself. Shaking her head, she stumbled to the door and opened it forcefully but immediately regretted the energy spent on the dramatic entrance as Emma just stood looking at her in her barely covered state. There were few times she had felt more vulnerable.


	5. Chapter 5

The brunette crossed to the bed on shaky legs and sat down; exhausted. Emma looked at her with worry. "You need to take it easy. Your body has been through a lot. It's a wonder you're not dead from all the electrical currents they exposed you to."

"I've had worse. Do not forget the curse I absorbed at the well; you have no idea the side effects of dark magic."

"Was that like this?" Emma asked curiously and watched the woman breath heavily.

"I had headaches and nausea but I wasn't as….wobbly." She dismissed. "I still went about my everyday activities." She pressed a hand to her stomach and Emma tried to ignore the robe clinging to her damp skin. "But this _weakness_ is unsettling."

"Yeah, getting electrocuted will do that to you." She mumbled.

"How would you know?"

The blonde regarded her for a moment. _Forgiveness is about trust and vulnerability. Set an example, Swan._ "When I lived in a kids' home, one little boy stuck a metal army man in a light socket." She remembered watching his little body go ridged and convulse. "He was maybe seven or so…" she trailed off and closed her eyes; aware that Regina was watching her closely. "The nun panicked. I grabbed a broom and pried him away."

"Did he live?"

"Yeah, but he was brain damaged." She said softly as she remembered the strange strength the current held over his tiny body.

"But you saved his life."

"Is that really a life though? To be a vegetable?" Emma turned her back to the dark woman. "Maybe it would have been better if I hadn't tried." Her voice was soft and she hated the vulnerability she was showing.

"He never recovered?"

"No, it was odd because he didn't have a mark on him. But they said it fried him on the inside. He had no use over his arms and legs because it messed up his nervous system." She turned back to Regain. "But you will get better; you just have to go slow. I wouldn't be surprised if it took you a while to get your finer motor functions back though."

Regina nodded and looked up at the blonde with a strange glint in her eye. "I heard you on the phone."

"I was talking to Henry." Emma looked down at the floor. "He, Snow, and James are coming over tonight. We're going to meet them-"

"No."

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. We need to decide what to do now and like it or not, Madam Mayor, you are a part of this fucked up family tree." Emma crossed her arms and stared her down. "We need to work together to bring down Mendel and Tamara. You have information and you're…" Emma trailed off.

"I'm what?"

"Smart."

"I think that's an understatement."

Emma tapped her foot impatiently and blinked slowly. "Right, whatever. We need your perspective on the situation to figure out what is the best course of action." She turned her back and strode to Regina's closet to fling open the door and look inside at all the designer labels. "So what are you wearing tonight, Madam Mayor? Perhaps a silk blouse a pair of slacks, and your fuck-me heels?"

"We left my fuck-me heels at the docks." Regina's wry quip came from the bed and Emma smirked.

"Then how about we just stay away from heels as you can barely walk as it is?"

"I'm wearing heels." Regina said.

"Why? You won't be standing, it won't matter that you're shorter than me."

"Vanity, Miss Swan?" Regina chastised her. "I don't wear heels because you are taller."

"Really? Because I've notice an increase in your height the past several months. Why else would you wear them?"

"They make my legs look nice."

Emma decided to refrain from commenting that Regina's legs didn't need help. Instead she pulled a blue, silk blouse with a conservative neckline and hung it on the door before reaching back in for a standard charcoal gray pencil skirt. "There." She stood back and gestured to the clothes like Vanna White. "Will that work?"

"Not bad, Sheriff. My heels?"

"You're not wearing heels, Your Majesty."

"I can put them on after I get downstairs." The brunette waved a hand. Emma considered this quietly and decided this was as close as Regina got to a compromise.

"Ok, if they're that important to you, we'll put them downstairs so that you can wear them while you're sitting. But you're not to stand or try to walk in them." She turned back to the closet and found a pair that had blue trim the same color as the blouse.

"I would prefer black."

"But these match so well." She tossed them down and then looked at Regina expectantly. "What now?"

"If I didn't know better, I would say that you're enjoying yourself." The brunette regarded her with curious eyes.

"Just because all I wear is jeans doesn't mean I don't appreciate expensive apparel. That stuff just doesn't look good on me. But you wear it well."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Take it how you will." Emma shrugged. "Now, you'll need underwear?"

"I think I can pick that out for myself, thank-you." Regina made a move to stand but her knees buckled.

"Don't be a prude-"

"I'm not a prude!" She growled. "I used to wear leather pants tighter than your skin before you were even conceived!"

"Hmm, do you still have a pair? You could wear those tonight." Emma smirked at the look of outrage on Regina's face. "What about a black, leather corset? That way if Mendel comes back, he'll be too distracted to try and kill you."

"Very funny."

"I know." Emma shrugged and opened the top drawer of the dresser, finding what she was looking for. "Silk, all silk and lace. I should have known."

"What does that mean?"

"Not a scrap of cotton in the bunch." The blonde laughed and turned to Regina. "What suits you tonight, Madam Mayor?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Any of it. Just pick something and get your hands out of my drawers." She said and when Emma smirked she growled. "You know what I mean."

"Indeed, I do." The blonde quipped and shuffled around, drawing out a red thong and holding it aloft.

"No!" Regina shouted in anger. Emma shrugged and dropped it to pull out an equally revealing purple strip of lace. "Miss Swan!" the brunette shouted and blushed slightly. It was torturous to watch the infuriating woman sort through her unmentionables. Regina's breathing became shallow as heat rose to her cheeks. "You are being inappropriate."

"Perhaps there is a specific pair you would like?" her voice was taunting. "Or you can go commando-"

"I will do no such thing! Just pick a pair of black, bikini cut underwear and a matching bra!" She shouted, cheeks aflame and eyes glinting.

"What about panty hose?"

"I'll not be wearing hose."

"Garters it is then." Emma pulled out a pair of stockings and the small snaps with it before glancing at Regina. "Would these fit me?"

"Miss Swan, I swear to god, if you don't get out of here right now I will kill you with my bare hands." Regina's eyes promised murder.

"Ok, ok, ok. Jesus, no reason to get so fussy." Emma smiled and put her hands up; holding the lace in the air. "Here." She dropped the undies and stockings on the bed before stepping out. "I'll be down the hall if you need help with anything.

Emma spent the next hour waiting on Regina to finish getting ready. Another phone call with her mother confirmed their plans to pick up food from Granny's and meet Emma at the mayor's house. The blonde said goodbye to her anxious mother and made her way up the stairs. They would all be there in another hour and she wanted to talk with Regina first. She knocked and a stiff voice said, "Come in."

Emma stepped inside and regarded the woman before her. She was dressed and sitting in front of her vanity with a look of frustration. The blonde doubted that if she, herself looked like Regina that she would be frowning at her reflection. "What's wrong?"

"I can't do my make-up properly."

"Oh, yeah, I bet your hands don't want to work, huh?" Emma came to stand behind her. "You look fine to me."

"Without eye-make up and lipstick?" Her voice was incredulous.

Emma shrugged, "I could help."

"I'd rather not be blind, dear."

Emma sighed and turned her around before sitting before her on the bench and leaning close. "Let's skip eyeliner and just do mascara. No one will notice." She took the tube from Regina's hand. "Look down." She said and proceeded to paint her dark lashes. "I don't know why you need this anyway."

"We can't all have big cow lashes like you, Miss Swan."

"Yeah, seems great until you get one _in_ your eyeball." Emma grimaced. "Like having a log in your eye." Regina chuckled dryly. "What's so funny?"

"There's an old saying about not pointing out the speck of sawdust in your neighbor's eye because you probably have a log in your own."

Emma sat back and looked at her handywork before dipping the brush and starting on the other eye. "I don't get it."

"It's about not judging others. Like the pot calling the kettle black."

"That saying I've heard, not the one about the log."

"It's from the Bible."

"Like Jesus, Mary, and Joseph's bible?"

"Yes, in the New Testament, I think."

Emma sat back in disbelief. "You read the bible?"

"I _read_ the Bible." Regina put significant emphasis on the past tense of the verb. "I studied all the main religions. I wanted to know about the gods of this world."

"What did you find?"

"That they're mostly all the same." She shrugged then handed Emma her lip color. "Do you think you can do this?"

"Of course." The blonde took the pencil and gloss before looking down at Regina's full lips. _Oh, god, bad move._ She looked back up at Regina who was watching her for weakness. "Don't move." Emma said softly and took the pencil in her hand before outlining those luscious lips carefully. "Open your mouth a bit." She instructed.

Regina parted her lips and tilted back her head. The position was more intimate that she would have expected. It was almost as if she were waiting for Emma to kiss her. The pencil traced carefully along her mouth as the blonde's hands held her chin tenderly. The brunette squirmed a bit when Emma reached the outside corners of her bottom lip. "That tickles." She pulled back.

"I'm not through." Emma said and leaned in again to grab her chin. "Sit still."

Regina clenched her hands in her lap but when the tracing came to the same spot, she dropped a hand to Emma's thigh and squeezed, trying to still her. The blonde leaned back and looked down. "What's wrong?"

"I told you, I'm ticklish."

"I thought you were joking." Emma set aside the pencil and grabbed the expensive lip stick.

"Why would I be joking?"

"I dunno…" she shifted uneasily. Regina had not removed the hand from her thigh. "Just you being ticklish is funny, you're so…"

"Evil?"

"Tough." Emma finished and leaned back in with the tube of lipstick. "Are you ticklish anywhere else?"

Regina tried to focus on her words and not the hand on her jaw or the soft breath across her face. "My feet, my back, under my…" she trailed off, "…pretty much everywhere." The hitch in her breath caused the blonde to smile slightly.

"That's funny to me. I'm not ticklish at all."

"At all?"

"I've never found a spot that made me squirm."

Regina fought the urge to smirk as that would likely cause her to end up with a Joker-like smear across her face. "Perhaps you haven't tried hard enough?"

"Hush, I'm working here." The lipstick glided over the brunette's full lips as Emma applied it tenderly and with coordinated fingers. "Besides, why would I want to find where I'm ticklish?" She leaned back, capped the lipstick and reached for the gloss.

"It's always good to know one's own body." The brunette lifted her shoulders in a graceful shrug and Emma smirked. Only Regina could make shrugging look dignified. "A lot of good can come from that; knowledge is power."

"So now that I know your ticklish spots, I have power over you?" Emma smirked again.

"If you are stupid enough to tickle me, I will not be held accountable for your injuries. I believe I've punched you once before." Regina warned and then dropped her head back to allow the blonde to apply the finishing touches on her lips.

"I would imagine that you fight like a cornered wildcat."

"A wildcat?" Regina chuckled as Emma stood and stepped back. The brunette turned to her mirror and surveyed the work. "Not bad, Miss Swan. I see you managed to stay within the lines."

"It wasn't that difficult, though it would have been quicker if you hadn't have been squirming."

Regina opened her newly painted mouth to retort before the doorbell rang. Emma jumped to the window and looked down. Her parents and Henry stood holding bags from Granny's. "It's my parents and Henry. Let's get you down stairs and arranged."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- I don't own anything...sadly. This next chapter is rather fluffy. But to amend for it's lack of real substance and it's belated posting, I am giving you two more in quick succession, dear readers. Enjoy.

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Emma text her parents and told them they would be a minute before helping Regina downstairs and sitting her at the head of her own table. She dropped the heels at her feet and headed to the door as the brunette snapped on her shoes. The blonde opened the door and was greeted by a hug from Henry. She led them into the dining room and gestured for them to sit.

Regina nodded stiffly to James and Snow before smiling at Henry. "Hello, Henry." She said somewhat shyly.

"Hey." He said and took the spot next to her willingly. James sat beside him and Snow across from her husband. That left the spot to the left of Regina open and Emma flopped down and began handing out Granny's to-go boxes. They were all labeled and Regina's read, _Your Majesty_ with a special flourish. When the brunette saw this, a twisted smirk crossed her face before the expression vanished and the stony mask was in place once more.

"So, Emma," James began. "We alerted Neil and a few others on the council. They're keeping an eye out."

"What did you tell Dad?" Henry asked. Both Regina and Emma visibly flinched.

"We told him to act normal, don't confront her and don't act like he knows anything. We want Tamara to think that Emma and Regina are acting alone."

"But why not raise an army and fight?" Henry asked, stuffing his face like the woman across from him.

"Because we don't yet know what they're capable of." Snow answered then glanced at Regina. "Although, if they can torture someone, it's safe to assume they're pretty dangerous."

The brunette sat stoically and ate her grilled chicken salad without glancing up. Emma looked at Henry. "If they think we're acting alone, they won't try to hurt anyone else. They'll only come after us."

"But they could hurt you; both of you." Henry's voice was soft and Regina looked up as emotion surged across her face.

"I'm not going to let that happen, kid." Emma smiled. "I'm pretty tough, you know? I killed a dragon and fought ogres." Snow cleared her throat. "Ok, so your Grandma mostly fought the ogres." She shrugged sheepishly. "But still, we'll be fine."

James looked across at his wife meaningfully then turned to his daughter. "Actually, we were wondering how you would feel about…moving locations…"

The brunette's dark eyes snapped up again. "What?"

"Granny has a cabin out in the woods." Snow explained in a rush. "You would be safer there."

"How would it be safer than my house?" Snapped Regina.

"It's smaller." James said, "And secluded. There is little to no traffic and it's set back in the woods from the road. They wouldn't be able to find you while you were….convalescing."

Regina looked at Emma with an incredulous look, expecting her to object but was surprised to find the blonde mulling it over. "That's not a bad idea, actually. I don't like the idea of being so far from town-"

"That's the beauty of it though," Snow said excitedly. "It's really just a quick trot through the woods, but if you go by car it takes much longer. And you have to know exactly where it is to get there through the woods. James or I could get there in little more than fifteen minutes on horseback."

"Horseback?" Emma chuckled. "Sometimes I forget that that's normal for you."

"It would also come in handy if you had to get out of there quickly." James pointed out. "There's a small stable and we can set up a mount for you there."

"Whoa, I can't ride-" Emma began.

"But Mom can!" Henry said excitedly and looked at Regina. "You're really good on a horse, aren't you?" The brunette smiled and dazzled them all. Emma tore her eyes away, feeling a bit punch drunk and finished devouring her burger.

"It's been a long time, Henry." Regina said still smiling. "But yes, I used to ride."

"You did more than ride, Regina." Snow said quietly and a look passed between the two women. "Please consider that we are trying to keep both of you safe. This cabin is our best shot at accomplishing that while we do damage control here."

"Does it matter what I say? You won't just bundle me off anyway?"

Emma sighed, "No, we wouldn't. Not that you could put up much of a fight at this point anyway," she pointed out and Regina narrowed her eyes. "But if you really want to stay here, we will."

The brunette considered this a moment. She looked down in surprise when she felt a small hand wrap around hers. "Please, Mom. I don't want you to get hurt. I think you should go with Emma."

Conflicting emotions arose in her throat. "Alright." She finally managed.

A collective release of breath was auditory around the table. "Great, we'll get things set up. Be ready to leave tomorrow morning." James said then cast another glance to his wife. Emma found it slightly annoying that they could communicate so effectively without speaking.

"Now, we would like to know exactly what is going on and we will share with you our plans." Snow looked at the regal brunette at the head of the table.

"Right," Emma cast a glance at Regina then told them what she had discussed with the mayor already.

"So Mendell's father is alive, wandering around somewhere with a false memory?"

"Yes."

"That's a good thing though, right?" Henry asked. "It means they can be reunited." The adults in the room looked sadly at him and he shivered a bit. "We can't let them go can we?"

"Perhaps another memory charm?" James suggested but Regina held out her arm and shook up the sleeve of her blouse; displaying the strip of leather she had still been unable to remove.

"I can't do the charm. This bracelet traps my magic."

"What's in it?"

"Some sort of metal. Something to do with a scientific discovery that they made."

"So you still have magic?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?" Henry asked curiously.

"She can feel it." Emma said suddenly and when everyone stared at her she turned to Regina. "Right?"

"Yes, Miss Swan. Magic has a particular sensation. I can still feel it within me. I just can't let it out because of the bracelet."

"Does the metal prevent magic from happening _to _you?" Snow asked and the brunette considered this.

"I don't know, no one has tried to hex me…yet." She added and Emma chuckled a bit. Henry grinned too. "What's so funny?"

"You are."

"I am not." She said as though offended.

"Mom, that was funny." Henry patted her hand affectionately. Finally, Regina smiled again and those around the table caught a glimpse of the woman behind the mask.


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't know why we couldn't ride through the woods." Regina huffed as they wound their way around the curvy roads of wooded Storybrook.

"Because I can't ride and you're still too unsteady." Emma sighed. "Besides, we needed to haul your three suitcases and kitchen sink."

"You didn't say there was a limit."

"I said pack light, woman!" Emma growled. "Do you really need business suits up here?"

"One never knows whom one will run into."

"Yes, I suppose all the deer and squirrels will be offended if you don't look your best."

"And what did you pack? Seven pairs of impossibly tight jeans and various colored tank tops?"

Emma grimaced as the woman hit the nail on the head. "_And_ a flannel shirt or two."

Regina sat back with a triumphant look as they pulled off the paved road to travel a dirt one around a few sharp curves. The bug pulled up to a small cottage and Emma parked it behind the house, next to the small, sheltered area that James had called a stable.

She stepped out and fitted the key in the backdoor before pushing it open and turning to call to Regina. But she stopped as she saw the woman appraising the house and the land. The flowers were blooming in the sun and a creek bubbled merrily below them. As Emma watched, Regina seemed to lighten a bit, as though a load had been taken from her shoulders.

Shaking her head, the blonde stepped inside and hit the light switch. The newly illuminated room held a rustic charm; there was a small kitchen with a breakfast nook for two and a large, overstuffed sofa in front of the fireplace. Emma set her bag down, glanced back at the brunette leaning against the car, and moved inside the house. There were two bedrooms sharing a single full, adjoining bath. It was a small cabin, but it would meet their needs beautifully.

The blonde stepped back out and popped the hood of her car. Withdrawing their luggage she carried two of Regina's suitcases inside and plopped them down in one room before heading out for the other, slightly smaller, carry-on-like case. After depositing that, she turned to find the brunette had made it into the house and was sitting at the table, gazing about the room. The blonde made two more trips to get everything before locking the bug and stepping inside.

"It ain't the Ritz;" Emma said, "but it will do."

"Yes, it will work quite well. I've slept in worse conditions."

"Really?" Emma began unpacking the food they had brought.

"I was imprisoned in a tower for a while."

"Did you break out?" Emma looked over her shoulder at her.

"Your mother didn't tell you?" Emma shook her head. "She handed me a knife and set me free. It was a test to see if I would try and kill her; the knife was enchanted. When I stuck it between her ribs it didn't do anything but sink in and come back out clean." She said flippantly.

"You stabbed her? When she offered freedom?"

"I knew it was a test." The brunette mumbled. "I could feel the enchantment on the knife; your silly mother." She waved a hand.

"So, wait." Emma cocked her head. "You knew it was a test and you failed on purpose?"

"I was to be executed the next day; she offered me banishment instead."

"And you chose death?" Emma was still completely befuddled. Nothing with this woman made sense.

"Let's see…" Regina brought a finger to her lips. "Live a life of lonely pauperism and solitude or end it all? Didn't you and I have this discussion yesterday? About what makes a life worth living? At least if I had been dead, I wouldn't have had to feel the things that-" She caught herself and glared at Emma. "What do you care? I don't have to explain myself to you." She snipped and looked out the window.

Emma took a deep breath and continued to stock the pantry. _Set an example, Operation Panther._ "I thought about killing myself…after Henry was born."

Regina's eyes snapped to the green ones in astonishment. "Really?"

"Yeah, my life had been total shit up until I held him. Bounced from foster care to foster care, Neil's betrayal and my arrest." Emma shrugged again. "It was absolute shit. But when I held Henry, I felt purpose and peace. I didn't want to give him up but I knew that all the things that had happened up till that point, happened so that he could be born." She turned her back on the woman so that she wouldn't see her face. "That's why I can't hate you for the curse. Yeah, you forced my parents to make a hard decision, but if it hadn't been for me coming here; I wouldn't have had Henry."

"And if I hadn't adopted him, you likely never would have seen him again." Regina's head was reeling with the serendipity of it all. Just one different decision; any manipulated detail and everything could have been entirely different. The thought astounded her and made her realize how everything was really out of her hands; as many variables as existed and Regina Mills barely manipulated an eighth of them.

"Yeah, but after he was born, I thought about just ending it. I knew that my life would never be as good as it had that moment I held him. I knew I would never have that back."

"What stopped you?" Regina asked and Emma turned to face her. The brunette winced as she realized how her words must have sounded. "I mean to say…what made you decide life was worth it?"

"I just realized that I had always lived for everyone else. Like I needed everyone else's approval and that killing myself before I even knew who I really was, was dumb." She shrugged and put the milk and eggs in the fridge. "I mean, jail gave me a new start. I got out, cleaned up, and started working. I found that I was good at finding people and I capitalized on that. I lived for me and tried to be what _I_ wanted to be; not what other people expected me to be."

"That's very admirable of you." Regina's tone mocked and Emma shook it off.

"It's the truth and it saved my life."


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Emma was at the sink washing dishes while Regina lounged on the couch and attempted researching the metal in the band on her arm. The blonde looked out the window above the sink and saw shapes moving through the woods. Her eyes narrowed and she dropped the rag in her hand. Regina looked up to see her step out of the house in a flash of blonde curls.

"Miss Swan?" She called and stood shakily to hobble to the door. Her strength was returning little by little but she was still unsteady. She stopped and leaned on the door heavily as she took in the sight before her.

James and Snow were each seated on a horse as Henry grinned in front of his grandfather. Emma reached up and swung him down; hugging him closely before dropping him to his feet. He scampered up to Regina and took her hand. "We brought more supplies."

Snow dismounted after her husband and James led the mounts to the small stable. It was then that Regina noticed the horse that had been hitched to Snow's. It was a Palomino mare with a honey colored coat and nearly platinum hair. The horse was gorgeous and the brunette felt a tightening in her chest as she gazed at it.

The woman with the pixie hair approached, holding bags in her hands out to Emma. She took them and smiled before hugging her mother. "Thanks. We've been dying of boredom here." She cast a glance back to Regina. "Well, the mayor hasn't. Did you know that she can literally read for _hours_?"

"There wasn't television in the Enchanted Forest, Emma." Her mother reminded her. "Regina and I didn't grow up with computers and DVDs."

"But still, hours!" The blonde said as though it was inconceivable. "Really, I'm glad you brought the player and DVDs. The old television set in here should be fine with it."

The group moved into the house as James explained he had left the mare hitched and she had plenty of water. "But you'll have to feed her." He looked at Emma who glanced at Regina.

"I'll take care of the horse." The brunette said, shaking back her hair. "I'm afraid Miss Swan would make her nervous. What's her name?"

"Mabel."

"_Mabel_?" Regina was outraged. "A name like that for a horse such as this?"

"Rename her if you like," James shrugged. "We borrowed her from the stables."

"Any new information?" Emma asked.

"Neil is reporting that Tamara is acting oddly jumpy and suspicious."

"Serves her right." Emma muttered. "And Mendell?"

"Making appearances in odd places. He's come by the Sheriff station a few times looking for you."

"Someone broke into Regina's house-" Snow began but was cut off.

"Did they take anything?" the brunette asked as she sat down at the table; unable to stand for too long.

"No, nothing was touched. Whoever was there was looking for something specific."

"Or _someone_ specific." James chimed. "It's good you moved. They won't find you here."

"Only Granny and Ruby know besides us." Snow gestured between them. "So you're safe."

Emma looked down and unpacked the DVD player, the binder of discs and a weather radio. "What's this?"

"Oh, there's supposed to be a storm or two passing through tomorrow night. We wanted you to be prepared. Just thunder and such, but in case the power goes out…." Snow reached into the bag and produced a plethora of candles and batteries for the two flashlights, "we brought a storm kit."

"Great, thanks." Emma smiled. "We'll be in communication with you guys; let us know if there is anything we can do to help." She walked out with Henry and James but Snow lagged behind and stared at the brunette at the table as she gazed out the window.

Suddenly realizing she was being watched, Regina turned around to find herself alone with Snow. "Yes, dear?"

"Regina, I just wanted to say that I would appreciate it if you would do what Emma asks you to do."

"Excuse me?" the brunette was caught completely off-guard.

"She's trying to protect you and the rest of us. If she asks you to do something, please just do it."

"I'm not sure I understand what you are implying." Regina stood and braced a hand on the table casually as if not leaning on it for support.

"I know you are stubborn-" Snow held up a hand. "That stubbornness has come in handy in your survival but it has also cost you a great deal."

"You would know about costing me a great deal, wouldn't you?"

"Perhaps, but I'm not talking about us. I'm talking about Emma." Snow stepped forward. "She would die trying to save you, you know that don't you?"

Regina's gaze didn't flinch. "She's a fool."

"She loves Henry too much to not do everything in her power to protect you." The woman with green eyes clarified. "So I'm asking you, if Emma says 'run' or 'hide' or 'save yourself', I'm asking you to comply to her wishes."

"You would want me to leave your daughter to die?"

"I want you to do what she says because I trust her." Snow countered. "She is a strong woman." The brunette sighed. "She wants what's best for everyone; even you."

Regina stepped forward and peered into her eyes deeply; assessing the level of sincerity and earnestness in her gaze. Snow didn't flinch or back up. "Why are you letting her help me? You believe there is no good in me. Why come to her aid when she's attempting to come to mine?"

"I love her. I love Henry. They have made it their mission that you will be safe. By extension, my service is tied to theirs. We're all tied together, Regina and always have been. There is a bigger picture in the making and for some reason; we have all been cast as this morbid ensemble of characters within the tragedy." The woman sighed and stepped back. "I don't know where it goes or if it stops, but I know that I have to work with the people in my life and, at the moment, like it or not, you are one of them."

Regina considered her solemnly. "I will do as Emma asks."

"Do I have your word?"

Regina smirked, "For what it's worth, yes. My word." She held out a hand to the woman who took it and shook it with strength.

"Snow?" James called from outside. "We need to get back."

The woman with the pixie hair smiled, "Coming!" she yelled then turned back to Regina. "Make sure she eats."

"What? I've never seen her turn down a meal."

"I've never seen her so worried. When she gets like this, she doesn't eat and begins attacking appliances." Snow left Regina standing in the kitchen with her brows knit.


	10. Chapter 10

Emma watched them go, cantering leisurely through the trees and felt a presence behind her. She turned to see Regina watching her. "Want to meet the horse?" Regina nodded and stepped down the few stairs carefully, clinging tightly to the rough banister. Emma stayed by her side as she hobbled out to the stable.

The Palomino watched the pair with intelligent eyes. She came up to stand in front of them. Regina leaned on the support beam and blew into the mare's face. The horse blew back and lowered her head. Bringing her hand up to stroke down the soft, velvet nose, the brunette smiled and the tension in her shoulders eased. She stepped forward and leaned into the horse's strong shoulder for support. The mare stood squarely, understanding the woman's need and then looked right at Emma.

Following Regina's lead, the blonde too, blew into the horse's face. The beast blinked and blew back but didn't lower her head. Emma stared at her uneasily. "Regina, she's not gonna…bite me or anything, is she?"

"Don't stick your fingers in her mouth." Came the reply against the horse's neck.

"She doesn't look like she wants me to pet her."

"She knows you're nervous. Step toward her."

"I'd rather not."

"Miss Swan," Regina pulled away and stepped back to the post. "If there is an emergency, you need to be familiar with this animal." She grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her closer to the horse before reaching up her own to trace over the steed's neck. "You need to trust her."

"She's big and…shifty." Emma argued but glared at the animal anyway.

"Because she senses your weakness."

"I'm not weak." Emma countered.

"Of course, dear." Regina rolled her eyes and took the hand in hers to force Emma's fingers down the horse's nose.

"She's so soft." The blonde felt her nerves dissipating. "Like satin."

The horse whinnied and stepped closer to the women. Regina's hand remained on Emma's as she stroked her again. When the blonde shifted forward, she dropped their hands, marveling at the oddly comforting intimacy their clasped hands had afforded, and stepped back to watch them get acquainted. "A good horse can be the best and only partner you will ever need." Regina said softly. "I wonder why they chose this one…" she mused.

"Chose? I thought they just grabbed the one that was closest."

"No, your mother does everything for a reason." She countered and watched Emma nuzzled the beast gently. "She chose this horse for a reason."

"She looks like me." Emma offered and turned back to see a stricken look on Regina's face. "That's not a bad thing." She mumbled.

"She looks like you; not me."

"Huh?" Emma stepped toward her with concern in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Regina suddenly knew why Snow had chosen the horse and the idea brought tears to her eyes. She looked down at her mud-covered shoes; willing the pesky emotions to submerge once again. They didn't and warm water slipped down her cheeks. "She looks like you; the opposite of me."

"I'm sure Snow didn't mean anything by it. She probably just wanted me to like the horse-"

Regina laughed, "Miss Swan, she wasn't being kind to _you_; she was being kind to me." The wind picked up and Emma frowned.

"I don't understand."

"Let's go inside. She's been fed today." Regina sighed and turned to make her way back to the house with slow feet.

Once they got inside, Emma put a hand on Regina's arm. "What is going on?"

The brunette looked down again; why was it that Emma Swan and her mother always managed to make her feel vulnerable? "When I was younger, I loved to ride. My mother encouraged it because if I succeeded, she looked good. However, I was never to choose my mounts; she always chose for me."

"And she always chose dark horses to compliment your hair and complexion?" Emma said, realization hitting her full in the face. "So, a blonde horse-"

"Palomino."

"Right, a Palomino horse was something you always wanted." Emma walked away to the kitchen window and watched the wind pick up. It seemed the storm was coming in as predicted. She took out the weather radio and hooked it up before turning it on and programming the machine. "What I don't get, is how she knew."

"I told her." Regina said quietly. "One night, after I married her father, she had a nightmare and came to my bed."

"You slept in separate rooms?" Emma asked suddenly and then regretted it as soon as she saw the look on her companion's face.

"A king only sleeps with his wife if they are not actually sleeping."

"Right." Emma forced the images out of her head and felt hot anger bubble against the grandfather she had never met. How could he? Regina couldn't have been much older than 18 and he was probably close to 50 at the time. She bowed to the sink and stuck her hands under the warm soapy water to take hold of the dish rag and closest piece of silverwear. The blonde prodded quietly through the awkward quietness in the room: "So she came to see you?"

"Yes, and I allowed her to sleep with me."

"But you hated her."

"I did."

"Then why-?"

"Because if the king came in to find his daughter in my bed, curled like a kitten, he couldn't very well crawl in himself could he?"

"Ah." Was all Emma could say. She bent her head to the dishes once more; unable to face the brunette at the table organizing the batteries and candles.

"Therefore, whenever Snow would come, I would welcome her, tell her stories, and pet her until she fell asleep. One night, I shared with her that all ever wanted was a bright, Palomino mare."

"And she remembered." Emma whispered as she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Indeed."

"She loved you."

"I gave her good reason to." Regina said and began placing the candles about the room so that when the lights went off, all they would have to do is light them. "It looks like it's going to be chilly tonight. Perhaps a fire would be a good idea?"

"Sure, there's kindling beside the grate and I can bring in some larger logs from outside." She set the scrubbed dishes on the drying rack and turned, leaning against the sink and watching the woman sit down on her knees. "You're getting around better than before." She commented.

"Yes, it seems that my motor skills are returning." She took the match book and tried and failed to light four matches. Emma stepped over and squatted, taking the matches from her patiently.

"But the little things are still hard." She commented and lit the dry starter before standing again and offering a hand to Regina.

"The little things are always the hardest, Miss Swan." She whispered at Emma's back as she stepped outside for firewood.


	11. Chapter 11

Regina stepped out of the shower, dressed, and towel dried her hair before making her way back into the den area. Emma sat in the middle of the couch, eyes glued to the flickering light of the television set as a tall, dark-haired man and a short, red-headed woman bickered. Emma leaned forward and the firelight caught in her still-damp curls as she reached for her glass of wine on the coffee table.

"The _X-files_, Miss Swan? Really? Is there not enough paranormal in your life?"

"There is a difference between paranormal activity and magic." Emma retorted. "Have you ever watched it?"

"No."

"Then you can't critique it. You at least have to watch an episode before you bitch about it."

Regina's mouth twitched subtly and she poured herself a glass of wine carefully before sitting down on the sofa and curling up her legs under her. Emma glanced to the woman watching the screen and found herself wondering what those silk pajamas would feel like bunched under her hands. She shook off the thought and returned to watching the show.

They worked through the first season and as the flukeworm monster made an appearance, Regina let out a disgusted noise and slid closer to Emma unconsciously. The shift was not lost on the blonde however. "Squeamish, Madam Mayor?"

"That thing makes an ogre look lovable." She wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips.

"Well, we can turn it off…" Emma said and grinned when the mayor made a warning noise in her throat.

The next day passed without incident. The dark clouds continued to roll in and Regina's dexterity increased. Emma spent time with the horse; feeding her and brushing her long, soft mane. As Regina was cooking dinner that night, she could hear Emma, through the open window, talking to the animal.

"You're a pretty girl." The blonde cooed to the beast. "Big and strong and beautiful." More light pats and strokes with the brush had the horse whinnying and bumping the blonde affectionately. "And really smart, you know everything I'm saying don't you?"

Regina smiled at this comment and moved closer to the window to hear the tall blonde speak to the animal with reverence.

"I trust you to take care of us if something happens." Emma said and then stopped her brushing to look the horse in the eye. "But if something happens and I get left behind, get Regina to safety." The horse snorted and shook her head. "Don't tell me 'no'." Emma patted her. "I'm serious. You leave me and get her away. She deserves a chance to start over like I had. Got it?" She eyed the beast seriously. "Now, we need a code word. Like Henry always says; if I say the code word, you get the hell out of dodge. Nod if you understand." Emma said it half-joking but was astonished when the horse bobbed her head. _Only in Storybrook does a horse understand me._ "Alright, it needs to be something Regina won't say accidently…like a phrase she would never utter…" Emma thought hard and then chuckled to herself as it came to her. "I know, how about 'long live Snow White'? Clever right? Regina would never say that."

The brunette in the kitchen didn't know whether to be angry with the blonde for sneaking behind her back or to find humor in the situation. Opting for humor, she set the plates down and put the finishing touches on dinner. "Miss Swan?" she called. "Dinner, wherever you are."

As the two finished dinner, the lights flickered once, twice, and then went out completely. At that moment, the weather radio surged to life and began its monotonous spill about severe thunderstorms and flash flooding. The rain that had started just as Emma had stepped in for dinner began to pound harder against the roof and Regina grabbed the nearest flashlight.

"It looks like we'll have no _X-files _marathon tonight, dear."

"I'll light the candles if you'll light the fire?" Emma suggested. "And then I guess we can sit and stare at each other."

Regina rolled her eyes in the dark and grabbed the matches as the blonde set about the cabin; grabbing every candle in sight. Soon the small house was bathed in flickering shadows and dancing glows. Emma sat down on the sofa and watched as Regina stoked the fire and added larger and larger pieces of wood until it crackled happily; devouring the sacrificed kindling.

"What now?" Regina asked as she stood and dusted off her knees.

"We could tell stories like back in the olden days." Emma winked cheekily. "Or whatever it was that you used to do for fun in the Dark Ages."

"First of all, I didn't live through the Dark Ages. I showed up in Storybrook in the 80s; so I'm not that old."

"You're like sixty something? That's pretty old."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Age has its benefits." She said mysteriously. "And secondly," she continued her argument before Emma had interrupted, "We didn't just sit around and tell stories. We played cards and chess and drinking games."

"Drinking games?" Emma asked in surprise. "What sort of drinking games?"

"Mostly the stripping sort; the kind that I will not be playing with you, Miss Swan."

"Afraid I'll win, eh?"

"Afraid you'll enjoy it too much."

Emma shrugged and tried not to grin, "I do like silk." She eyed Regina and the brunette rolled her eyes. "But I do play chess."

"You're joking."

"Nope, not joking." Emma said.

"Well, let's play then." Regina took out the chess board and set it up on the coffee before sitting on the sofa. Emma drug the leather ottoman across from her and plopped down; kicking off her shoes as the weather radio clicked on again and repeated the same information. Thunder crashed around them and the wind blew; but all the blonde could focus on was the look of concentration on Regina's face as she set up her black pieces. "Ok, Miss Swan, white goes first."


	12. Chapter 12

"I'm aware, Your Majesty." The blonde commented wryly and moved a pawn two spaces forward.

Five moves later and Emma was losing spectacularly. She leaned back and surveyed the board. How had the brunette conquered her so easily? "Your move, Miss Swan."

"Yeah, I know." Her voice was tinged with a gruff edge of impatience. Emma Swan was not as competitive as some; but she resented losing anything to Regina. She moved her knight up two spaces and over one. Regina's hand struck out, taking down the bishop that had been blocked by the knight. Emma swore under her breath.

Within four more moves, Regina had Emma in check and she was moving her king back and forth between two spaces. "Just give up, you can't win now. I've got you cornered like a rat." The brunette's voice held too much glee for Emma's taste but she folded and tipped her king over with a nimble finger.

"Christ, Regina; you totally fucked me." She said without thinking. The brunette smiled in a very feline way.

"I'm always gentle the first time, dear. But now that I've warmed you up, I'll take you hard and fast."

_Oh. My. God_. Was all Emma could think as her eyes slipped to the woman's lips unconsciously. Heat pooled between her thighs and she clamped them together slowly; almost worried the woman would smell her arousal. The blonde shook her head; _Get it together, Swan. You've been with women before._ She thought to herself and snapped her eyes away from Regina's lips. _But not a woman like my worst fucking enemy._ She argued with herself. _Are you going to let her play you, Swan? Or are you going to grow some ovaries and fire back?_ "Well, it was over too quick for my taste." Emma quipped. "But whatever pleases Her Majesty is fine with me."

"Your chivalry is showing again."

"Is it? Damn, I thought I packed that away." Emma shrugged. "If you would indulge me, I'm going to slip out of these jeans and into something more comfortable before I ask for a rematch."

"You're going to willingly subject yourself to this again?" Regina was slightly surprised.

"Mayor, I can do this _all_ night." Emma locked her green eyes on the brunette and smirked before flouncing out of the room.

Regina sat, staring down at the board quietly. _Are we flirting?_ The brunette wondered in bemusement. _No, this is about power._ She reminded herself but as her stomach clenched, she tried hard not to relive the feel of Emma's strong, supple body carrying her and lifting her and steadying her over the past several days. Emma Swan was definitely attractive; couple that with the fact that Regina was a sadist who sought out those that challenged her and the blonde seemed like the ultimate temptation. _She's Henry's birth mother and the daughter of my greatest enemy._ She reminded herself but all this did was add to Emma's allure.

_You're putting the pumpkin before the horse, Regina._ She reminded herself forcefully. She knew that it was likely that the blonde was simply pressing her buttons on purpose. But the glance to her own lips had not gone unnoticed; nor had the faint blush on the pale woman's cheeks. No, Emma Swan definitely wanted her. The question was: would she do anything about it?

Emma came striding back into the room wearing tight black leggings, a white tank top and a red flannel shirt buttoned in the middle to cover the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra. When she stepped to the fire and grabbed the poker to stoke the flame, Regina's mouth went dry. She openly admired the soft curve of the blonde's impossibly long legs and the way the long, over-shirt fell just low enough to cover her perfect ass. _Damn tease._ The brunette thought to herself. But she smirked, knowing that two could most definitely play this game.

"Miss Swan, I think the fire is fine; perhaps you should leave well enough alone."

The blonde put down the poker and shrugged. "I've never been able to do that."

"I'm aware." She gestured to the board. "White's move."

"You should have taken white this time; that's not fair."

"Dear, the fact that you're playing me is not fair at all. I could give you a handicap of two moves per my one and still conquer you most gloriously."

Emma shifted a pawn forward. "Then get to conquering."

Regina smiled and made good on her threat. "Gladly."

Emma was trounced once again. She sat back in disbelief. "This is freaking incredible. You spanked me again!"

"Anything worth doing is worth doing right. I hope I've given you the _spanking_ of a lifetime."

"I've had better." Emma shrugged and Regina narrowed her eyes.

"I doubt it."

The blonde grinned at the woman's vanity. "Again? I won't hold back this time." Emma said.

"Oh please, stun me with your unrevealed prowess."

Emma's stomach flipped at the words. She ground her teeth. "Ask me nicely and I'll jump you now."

"Excuse me?" Regina's heart raced.

"I said 'watch and learn'." She lied and moved forward.


	13. Chapter 13

The game started slow. Emma took her time in moving each piece; eyes narrowed in concentration. Regina watched the blonde's mind work as she shifted her pieces lazily around the board; feinting and attempting to distract her with an easy kill. But Emma was learning; she didn't fall into any traps as before.

The brunette was mildly impressed and was just considering how she was going to move the game along when the blonde put her arms on the coffee table and leaned forward; pushing her cleavage up against her straining tank. The brunette's mind went blissfully blank. She couldn't stop her eyes from trailing down the long column of Emma's neck to the lovely hills of creamy flesh. Regina licked her lips unconsciously and imagined diving between the mounds.

Emma fought a smirk as she watched a pink tongue sneak out and dampen red lips. She knew her breasts looked great at the moment; she just hoped it was enough to fully distract the brunette so that she could beat her. The blonde was really about to pull out some _Thomas Crown Affair_ on her ass.

She finally shifted forward her knight and put him in position to take the queen as Regina's eyes continued to trail her body. "Your move." Emma said and Regina's eyes snapped to the board.

"Right." She took a deep breath and scanned it quickly before moving a random piece arbitrarily.

Emma fought a smile; the woman wasn't even watching the board anymore. Emma shifted again, allowing her fingers to tease the figure of one of Regina's captured bishops. She rolled the black piece back and forth between her fingers before bringing it to her mouth thoughtfully as she studied the board. She pressed it against her lips and then traced her lips with the tip. "Hmmm." She hummed and moved her rook.

As before, Regina tore her eyes away and glanced down. Still missing the obvious danger because she wanted to get back to watching Emma, she took one of the blonde's pawns quickly; opening up her king for attack. The only defender between His Majesty and Emma's army was the queen and, unbeknownst to Regina, she was about to be fallen.

Emma continued to distract as she moved her stronger pieces down the board quietly. She allowed Regina to take a few pawns and even a knight. But she barely used her own queen so as not to tip the woman off to her movements. All the while she alternated with the bishop at her lips or a hand rubbing her own left shoulder to press her breasts together and rub her nipples to excitement. As she was preparing to take the queen, Emma let her flannel shirt list lazily off to one side, slightly exposing her stiff right nipple. She wanted Regina as distracted as possible as she stormed her walls.

When Emma's nipple came into view through the fabric of her tank, Regina's stomach lurched. _Oh god._ She thought and looked up to the eyes of the blonde to see if she had noticed. She could see the outline of the turgid peak perfectly against the tank and wanted more than anything to bend and take it into her mouth; stroking it through the fabric with her tongue.

Finally, Emma made her move. She reached forward and knocked the queen over with her knight. At the sound of the piece hitting the board, Regina looked down. "Checkmate." Emma said quietly.

"No…" the brunette frowned. Surely there was an escape? Something the blonde had missed. But she realized with a supreme sinking sensation, that Emma was right. The brunette had been too distracted to notice the blonde accumulating and mobilizing her troops and backing the king into a corner with the queen as his only defender. The pawns and pieces around him did nothing but prevent his escape. They were all trapped. "There is no way…"

"Oh, but there is." Emma smirked. "I beat you; I beat you bad."

"Goddamn it!" the brunette shouted in anger at her own weakness and slapped the board roughly, causing pieces to fly about the room. Emma laughed and leaned back on the stool to throw back her head and guffaw.

"It seems Madam Mayor is a sore loser."

"I'll show you sore." She mumbled miserably.

"Is that a promise?" Emma asked innocently and leaned in again; pressing her cleavage up.

It was then that Regina realized she had been played. Emma had manipulated her masterfully. The worst part was that she couldn't call her on it. She tried to wipe the emotion from her face and replace them with a stoic mask. "Miss Swan, you got lucky."

"Lucky? You didn't even see it coming!" Emma shouted. "I beat you! I won! Don't be a spoilsport. You beat the shit out of me the first time and all you can say when I win is that I got lucky?"

"Were you expected a tee shirt that read 'I defeated the Evil Queen'?"

"Maybe a gift certificate or something." Mumbled Emma. "At least be gracious about losing."

"Miss Swan, I love to win; more than almost anything. But I _hate _to lose. I hate to lose more than I love to win. I love to win mostly because it's not losing." She admitted and sat back on the couch to cross her legs as the storm raged around them. "Therefore, I am not, neither do I profess to be, a gracious loser."


	14. Chapter 14

Emma glanced down at her phone to find that it was only nine o'clock. She wasn't a bit tired; mostly because she had spent the past couple of days completely indoors. Regina was reading again and Emma was dying of boredom. The weather radio jumped to life, causing both women to look up. The brunette narrowed her eyes over the top of her reading glasses and Emma had to admit she had never found spectacles more sexy.

The radio crackled and beeped before shutting off. "That's weird." Emma muttered and stood from where she had been mindlessly shuffling a deck of playing cards. She picked up the radio and muttered at it as she randomly punched buttons. "It's dead."

"Well, your mother brought a hoard of batteries." Regina said without looking up. Emma opened the back of the device and peered in to see two AAA batteries winking at her.

"Damn."

"Too complicated for you?"

"They're triple A's. Snow brought doubles and D's. No triples."

"Damn." Regina mimicked her. "What about the DVD remote?"

"Takes doubles." Emma muttered as she thought. "Wait, I have something." She moved into her room and the brunette heard her open and shut a dresser drawer. There was the sound of something being taken apart and the drawer again before Emma emerged. "This should work." She took the old out, plugged the new in and rebooted the device. It crackled back to life and picked up where it left off.

"What did you bring that requires triple A batteries?"

"My nose hair trimmer." Emma said sarcastically.

"Really." Regina leveled a dark gaze at her. "What was it?"

"Just something I take with me most places." The blonde shrugged and looked away.

Regina sat up straighter and quirked a brow. She was incredibly curious as to what the blonde had brought. The woman's shiftiness made her doubly so. "Miss Swan, what was it?"

"Nothing, ok?" Emma growled and sat back down on the couch.

"Why can't you tell me?"

"It's none of your business."

"But why?" Regina grinned at the nettled woman. "It's an innocent question."

Emma inexplicably blushed as she pictured the electronic device tucked into her underwear drawer. "My Gameboy."

"They take double A's."

"My razor."

"Those are rechargeable." Regina didn't miss a beat.

"My electric potato peeler."

"Please, you don't even cook."

"Why do you care what it is?"

"Because you refuse to tell me." The brunette smirked. "You're being secretive."

"Yeah, well, I'm not telling you."

"Then I'll go look for myself." Regina stood and watched as Emma regarded her with wary eyes and then tossed her hair.

"Go ahead, you won't find it."

"I heard your drawer open and close." Regina smirked. Emma leapt up in panic but the brunette, using all of her recovered strength, got to the room first and shut the door before locking it.

Emma pounded on the door to no avail. "Goddamn it, Regina! This is not funny!"

"You should have just told me, Miss Swan. You know I don't let go once I sink my teeth into something."

Emma could hear the woman moving about the room and rifling through various drawers. Part of her was intrigued by the newfound playfulness that Regina was exhibiting. But the other part knew the woman was probably just trying to do what she could to piss her off. She heard the unmistakable creak of her underwear drawer and the intake of breath when Regina found what she had been searching for. Emma backed away from the door and moved into Regina's room, crossing to the bathroom and peering through the adjoining door of her room.

The brunette stood with her back to her and Emma could see her studying the item in her hand. "Happy now?" Emma huffed. Regina whirled with a flush high on her cheeks. "Not what you were expecting, huh?"

Regina looked down at the small, bullet vibrator in her hand and tried not to imagine exactly what Emma did with it. "No, actually, it wasn't."

"Right, well, if you could put it back…." Emma gesture to the open drawer and the brunette gloried in her humiliation.

"Of course, Miss Swan." She dropped it among the underwear and shut the drawer. "I was wondering what that buzzing was last night. I thought perhaps a bee was in the room."

"I didn't….last night…I haven't since…" Emma stammered. _Oh god._ She took a deep breath. "I haven't needed it."

"And what causes you to _need_ such a device?" Regina asked, leaning casually on the chest of drawers.

"Sexual tension, frustration…pick one." Emma mumbled. "You should know, you're the most tightly wound woman I have ever met. Perhaps you would like to borrow my toy?" the blonde teased.

Regina smirked; loving that the tall woman was throwing it back at her. "Perhaps I will. If it weren't for the weather radio."

"I could give you a tutorial if you like." Emma took a step into the room and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath from the brunette.

"That's quite alright. I'm sure I can manage."

"Well, if you change your mind…." Emma stalked out, leaving Regina staring after her.

The next few days passed in a series of updates from town, another supply run from Emma's family, and more chess games. Emma was becoming increasingly aware of Regina's returning strength as well as her growing attraction to the brunette. She nearly tackled her mother when she brought the groceries and triple A batteries on the latest trip.

When she came back into the house, Regina smiled knowingly and helped her unpack the bags. "Glad to see your mother came through for you."

"Right."

"She didn't ask about the batteries?"

"I told her they were for the weather radio."

"Two packs of ten?"

Emma blushed. "She doesn't ask questions like you do." The blonde half snarled.

Regina made a slightly pouty face. "Oh, Miss Swan, do you regret me finding your secret?"

"Of course I do! Now I feel all naughty and junk!"

"Well don't. You know that I'm extremely ticklish and I know you like toys." The mocking note in the brunette's voice set Emma's teeth on edge. "We're even."

"There's a difference!" Emma burst out and stuffed the meat roughly into the freezer before rounding on Regina who stood with her back leaned against the sink. "You're ticklish, so what? So are most other people. But knowing that you know what I do…when I…" Emma gulped slightly. "That's just different!"

"I believe it was you who offered a tutorial." The brunette smirked. "Don't tell me you would renege on your offer."

"I just did that to make you uncomfortable and you know it." The blonde growled and advanced on the woman at the sink.

Regina's smirk faltered slightly as Emma stepped closer. "Miss Swan, that's close enough."

"Oh, too close now, am I? Do I make you nervous?"

"Hardly."

"I should." She stepped between her feet and placed a hand on each side of Regina's waist on the counter behind her.

"I'm not afraid of you." The brunette said simply.

"Who said anything about being afraid? You can be nervous in more ways than one. For instance, right now, your body language is telling me that you are angsty."

"I'm not angsty." Regina cleared her throat. "And if I were, it would have nothing to do with you." She asserted.

Emma leaned in and Regina arched back a bit when their hips connected. The blonde brought her lips a breath away from Regina's and dark eyes flashed down as a tongue darted out to wet her dry mouth. The blonde leaned in, her mouth barely a breath away from Regina's, close enough to kiss it, when she leaned into her ear and breathed heavily. "Still too close?" She asked and a shiver shot up the brunette's body. She quivered against the lean body of the blonde and Emma smirked and pulled back; Regina was furious at herself for showing weakness. She _had_ been anticipating the kiss.

"Like I said, angsty."


	15. Chapter 15

Emma sat outside on a log and rolled a joint. She took her first drag, held it in, and released it euphorically. _God, I needed this_, she thought to herself as she looked down at the little bag of grass. If Regina had been exhibiting characteristics of angst, Emma knew she herself had been as well. She heard Regina step out. "Miss Swan, if you could bring the clothes in from the line…." She trailed off and Emma could hear her sniffing the air. "Are you smoking?" Emma, still with her back to her, held up the joint between two fingers. "Is that…are you…you're smoking weed!" Regina strode down the steps and Emma jumped up and spun around as the woman reached for the joint.

"Get your own, mayor." Emma pushed her back gently. "This one's mine."

"You are the Sheriff!"

Emma shrugged, "Storybrook is unconventional; besides I'm on a break."

"What if Mendell shows up?"

"I talked to James, the guy has been moping around Granny's all day; they still don't know where we are."

"What if Henry came up?"

"He wouldn't know any better." Emma shrugged again and took another hit. She relished the swirling smoke before releasing it in a stream into the air. Regina watched shrewdly. "Have you ever smoked weed?"

"No. Although, there is a plant in the Enchanted Forest that is similar. I've brewed with it but never….partook of the plant myself."

"You should try it." Emma said and smiled. "Better than drinking."

"I'd rather not."

"It would help you unwind."

"Like your vibrator?"

"Hmm…" Emma thought as she took another slow puff. She held it and then released. "No, it's different. This lasts longer than an orgasm."

Regina blinked at the candid answer. Emma seemed so at ease and the brunette was jealous. "So it's better?"

"Not really. Nothing is better than sex. But I think it's better than masturbating." Emma held it out again to Regina.

"It's all the same." The brunette said quietly.

"No, it's not." Emma shook her head. "I mean, the toy is nice." She said slowly as she felt the effects of the herb. "But sex with an actual partner is the best."

"Again, I see no difference."

"Then you've been sleeping with the wrong people, Regina." Emma held the joint out to her. "Drag in like you would a cigarette and hold it before releasing it slowly."

The brunette watched her closely and took the joint. Hardly believing what she was about to do, she pulled on it and choked, "Damn!" her eyes teared as she pushed the joint back to Emma. But the blonde laughed and held up her hands.

"Easy killer. Slow down. Baby steps! Try a smaller pull this time. You can't inhale the whole thing at once."

Regina glared at her and wiped her eyes. "I didn't know it would be so…overwhelming." She coughed a bit and tried again. This time succeeding. She blew the smoke out and cocked her head. "Interesting flavor."

"That's what she said! HA!" Emma chuckled at her own joke but Regina frowned.

"What?"

"That's what she said."

"Who said?"

"Damn, Regina." Emma took the joint from her and pulled on it. "It's an expression. Whenever someone says something that could be taken sexually, you say 'that's what she said'." She explained. "You said 'interesting flavor' and I said 'that's what she said', get it?"

"Oh," Regina watched as Emma rolled another joint, lit it and passed it to her. "Yes, I get it. I'm not amused though."

"That's your problem." Emma sat down on the log and the brunette joined her as she finished her turn and handed it back to her companion. "You're too serious."

"Oh, please, I'm dying to know what you think of me." She said scathingly.

"Let's play a game."

"Like chess?"

"No."

"Ok, because my head feels funny."

"Great!" Emma took the joint back. "A game where I say something and you guess if it's true or not."

"Do you get to guess?" Regina could feel tension leave her body as the cannabis worked on her nerves. She found that all she wanted to do was sit on the log and talk with Emma. _Weird._

"Of course."

"But you have the lie detector skill. That's not fair." Her ability to hold back was quickly leaving her.

"I'll close my eyes when you speak." Emma took a drag and passed the joint on to her companion. "I'll go first." She thought hard before saying. "When I was a child, I was afraid of praying mantises."

Regina looked her over with narrowed eyes. "False."

"True."

"Really?"

"I still don't like them. Your turn." Emma shut her eyes.

"I like to sleep with a light on." Regina said.

"True."

"False, I love the dark."

"I was humoring you." Emma smirked. "I love history."

"True."

"True."

"I hate taffy." Regina blurted.

"True."

"True," she smiled.

It began to rain and Emma left Regina with the joint to run down and grab the clothes that had been drying on the line. Returning to her, they both took one more drag of the herb before moving into the house. Emma shucked her boots and flopped down into the couch before propping her feet on the coffee table. Regina sat beside her; feeling more carefree than she had in years. They moved through topic after topic until the game moved toward more personal truths.

"I never sleep after I make love."

"False."

"False." Emma smiled. "I sleep like a baby."

"I don't." Regina huffed a bit. "I've never had an orgasm."

"False." Emma said with confidence. Regina shook her head and the blonde nearly jumped up. "What?! Regina! That's not right!"

"I'm well aware of that; I never have been able to let go-"

"I wasn't talking about it being your issue. I mean whoever you've been sleeping with sucks big time." Emma growled and shifted on the couch to stare the woman in the eyes. "No one should go without that."

"I didn't know you felt so passionately about it. Really, I haven't felt as though I was missing out; sex was just another means of control for me." Regina said. Then her eyes widened and she clapped a hand to her mouth. "I've never told anyone that."

Emma mimicked a zipping motion with her hand across her mouth and smiled. "I won't tell anyone. But that's truly unfortunate. I guess I get it though." She said slowly. "You lost….your first love….were forced to marry an old man….and then ran the kingdom before becoming the mayor of Storybrook. I guess there wasn't a great deal of opportunity for passion."

"I don't need your pity." Regina was suddenly cold and began to stand but Emma pulled her back down.

"It's not pity; it's empathy, Regina." Emma sighed. "Pity is for weakness; you're not weak."

The brunette stilled her struggling against the blonde's heavy hand on her wrist and regarded her silently. "True or false, love is weakness."

"False."

"You're a fool, Miss Swan." Regina shook her head.

"A fool? It was love that stopped your mother from taking my heart."

Regina froze and knit her dark brows. "What?"


	16. Chapter 16

"When we were coming back through the portal, we had to fight Cora. She started to rip Snow's heart out and I jumped in front of her. Her hand grabbed mine instead."

Regina slid closer and was sitting up straight. "And?"

"She tried to pull it out but couldn't. It was sort of…stuck." Emma shrugged. "It hurt like hell though."

"Did she release you?"

"She was kind of forced to. A shockwave went out like when I woke up Henry and blasted her back."

"That was your magic." Regina mused and brought a hand up to press to Emma's chest as she wondered aloud. "I've never failed to take a heart; never seen my mother fail."

Emma could feel a tingling sensation where Regina's fingers were and wondered if that was her own magic coming to the surface. "Yeah, well there's a first time for everything." The blonde said.

"What could do that though?"

"Love." Emma stated. "I jumped into Cora's hand because I was trying to save Snow. I love her and I would have done the same for anyone else. She couldn't take my heart because I offered it."

"I've taken hearts that have been offered." Regina dismissed.

"Out of lust or self-sacrifice?"

Regina considered this. "I suppose that's a fair point." She suddenly became aware of her hand on Emma's chest and snatched it back before dropping it to her lap and clutching it with her other hand.

"The true love potion brought magic back to Storybrook." Emma pointed out. "It brought Henry back to life."

"Must you remind me of that?" Regina's voice held hurt and Emma wondered how just a few moments ago they could have been having so much fun and now they were back to their standard bickering. "I believe I've spent most of my time attempting to make up for poisoning my son." She stood abruptly.

"Regina, look, I wasn't trying to-"

"Just stop trying altogether, Miss Swan. I know you don't believe that I can change; neither does anyone else. You're up here babysitting me so that I won't attempt to kill anyone." She tossed her hair; drawing strength in her fury. "Why have you been so nice to me? To get information out of me? Information you can use against me?"

"No, Regina, I really just-"

"And I'm just supposed to believe all that personal information you fed me, am I? Just eat it up without question?" She towered in her rage. "I'm done with all of you; you're all the same. If it's not an enchanted knife it's a joint. If it's not a jail cell, it's an isolated cabin in the woods. It's all the same to me." She turned on her heel and stormed out to leave Emma sitting on the couch wondering what the hell had just happened.

She got up and walked out into the rain, pulling out her cell phone and punching a quick text to her mother. A few seconds later, her phone rang and Henry's voice came on the other end. "Mom? Are you ok?" he asked.

"Hey, kid. I just missed you is all."

"How's Regina?" His tone was light but she knew he was anxious.

"She's a lot stronger now. We're going for a ride tomorrow so she can teach me how to drive the horse."

He giggled on the other end of the line. "Mom," she could see his eyes rolling in his head. "You don't _drive_ a horse!" She smiled at his impatience.

"Sounds like driving to me."

"How is Operation Panther going?"

"A lot slower without you." Emma admitted. "She has a hard time trusting me."

"I believe that." Henry said with a note of maturity to his voice that Emma had not noticed before. "A lot has happened to her, Grandma has been telling me stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Don't worry Mom." He sighed. "Nothing PG-13." She smiled again at his attitude. It was all Regina.

She shook the thought away. "Right, of course. But you're learning about her?"

"Yeah, and now I get what you were saying about needing an example of love. She needs people to be nice to her so that she can understand how to be nice back."

"Henry, have I ever told you how proud I am of you?"

"What?" The boy was a bit caught off-guard.

The words were not easy for Emma who had never heard them herself, but she tried. "I'm proud of you. You're so smart and kind. You always try to help people and even now, you're trying to give your mother a good reason to change. That's more than most grown-ups would do. It makes me proud."

The line was quiet for a moment. "Thanks Mom." He said awkwardly. "Maybe that's the next phase of Operation Panther."

"What?"

"Tell Regina how great she is."

"I think she already knows that." Emma muttered and Henry laughed.

"No, not powerful. How good of a person she is. Talk about other things she's good at like cooking and riding horses and music-"

"Music?" Emma interrupted. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah, I remember she used to play the violin."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I've got an idea. Put Snow on the phone."

She and her mother schemed for an hour and Emma felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. When she went back into the house, she could hear Regina starting a shower and decided now was as good a time as any to break in her new triple A batteries.


	17. Chapter 17

Regina stepped out of the shower and toweled off before getting dressed. There was a nagging at the back of her mind and she realized that it was guilt. She towel dried her hair and brushed through it before crawling into bed and resting against the headboard. She had taken out all her frustration on the blonde and she was feeling remorse for it. Emma's casual reminder that she had saved their son's life after Regina had poisoned him had stung. And she had taken it out on the woman who had saved him.

"Damn." The brunette murmured. She was trying to be better. She really wanted to be someone that Henry wanted to be around. She wanted to a person that Emma didn't hate. _Wait…what? Since when does Emma's opinion matter?_ She questioned herself but realized with surprise that it didn't just matter; it meant a great deal to her. This unnerved her and filled her with anxiety.

Wasn't this why she kept people at arm's length? She was afraid to disappoint them; afraid to be loved because they would see what a mess she was. But hadn't Henry and Emma already seen that? Didn't they know better than perhaps anyone, how messed up she really was? And yet they kept coming back for her. Regina fell into a very uneasy sleep that night as her housemate across the wall slept like a baby.

The next morning, Regina got up early and made breakfast. The smell of coffee hit Emma's nose and she rolled out of bed with a groan and padded into the kitchen. She found an arrangement of flowers on the table and a mug of coffee waiting for her. The woman scrambling eggs and flipping bacon wouldn't meet her eyes.

"What's all this?"

"Breakfast, Miss Swan. I know you're accustomed to bear claws but this will have to do."

"And the flowers?"

"I thought the room could use some color."

"What are they?" Emma asked curiously as she sat down behind the plate Regina put at the table.

"The purple and yellow are Irises and the blue are Forget-me-nots." She set down her own plate. "I suspect you know the pink ones to be roses."

"Yeah, I recognized them." Emma smiled. "They are very pretty; they look like a professional did them."

"One of the many skills a lady of the court learns is to arrange flowers."

"I would have made a terrible princess." Emma laughed and shoveled down her food.

Regina regarded her quietly as she ate her own breakfast. "Yes, you would have; but you would have made a good queen, I believe."

The blonde stopped, waiting for the punchline. "What's the difference really besides the title and the power?"

"A princess's duty is to entertain, look pretty, and compliment her parents' image. But a queen is a ruler, a leader, and a provider for her people."

"You think I would have been good at that?"

"Is that not what you do here? Lead, protect, and make decisions?"

"Hmmm…I never thought of it that way." Emma finished her breakfast and downed her hot coffee in one gulp, considering that this perhaps was Regina's way of apologizing for her outburst the night before. "Maybe I wouldn't be so out of my league if we were to go back."

"About the beans…." Regina shifted uncomfortably.

"Forget it; you didn't want to get left behind. We were going to tell you; I could imagine you felt betrayed. I know I would have."

"I didn't want to lose again." The brunette said quietly.

"I know." Emma took her plate to the sink. "So you gonna teach me to ride that pony or what?"

Emma discovered there was a lot more to riding horses than she first thought. They spent the better part of the morning discussing grooming and tack. It wasn't until after lunch that Emma finally got on the horse. Regina walked beside her with a hand on the beast's neck as Emma practiced sitting and balancing correctly.

"Stop squeezing her with your thighs. She's confused." Regina said.

"I'm sorry, I feel like I'm going to fall."

"Lean into her and move with her. Don't be stiff, follow her rhythm." Emma tried and found this helped a bit. "Much better." Regina commented. "She's less nervous now."

"That makes two of us."

The brunette chuckled and looked down before taking a big breath. "I always loved riding lessons. From the first moment I sat on a horse, I knew….I thought…"

"What did you know?" Emma prompted gently as she shifted her weight and turned the beast.

"I knew this was something my mother couldn't take from me." Regina finished nervously. She wanted Emma to understand her and that scared the hell out of her. "I was free when I was on the back of a horse. Tied to no one else but the beast beneath me. I lived for riding; I rarely rode with other people because of it."

"I can get that." Emma said quietly. "It's a wonder your mother let you ride."

"I had thought about that myself. Seeing as how I liked it so much, I kept waiting for the day she told me I couldn't."

Emma considered this. "I bet you cut an impressive figure. I can just imagine you jumping hurdles on the back of a horse as dark as your hair. Flying around and controlling the animal with ease. You surely would have been something to see."

Regina tilted her head back to look at the blonde and a small smile crept to her face. Emma's heart faltered a bit. It wasn't the smirk she usually sported, nor was it the small, sad smile she had seen. It definitely wasn't the 1000 watt smile she gave Henry; but it was open and beautiful. "I was."

"Perhaps that's what she wanted? You looked good so she looked good?"

"Yes, that was most likely the only reason for it." The brunette sighed and stepped away from the horse. "You lead her around for a bit. I'll be over here watching and instructing."

"What if-?"

"Do you trust her?"

Emma thought. "Yes, I do."

"Then you will be fine." Regina stepped away and watched Emma put the Palomino through her paces. She had to admit, she was fairly impressed with how quickly Emma picked up the lessons. The blonde was a quick study.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N- I know what all of you are thinking...where's the good stuff? Well, you have to sit through the fluff to get to it, dear readers. I promise that everything written has a purpose; it will all be worth the wait.

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After putting up the tack and brushing down the horse, they fed her and went inside. Emma hobbled a bit to the sofa and sat down heavily. "God, I could use a beer right now." She said.

"Isn't there a supply run today? I'm sure you could ask your mother to pick up a pack." Regina washed her hands at the sink.

"You're a genius!" Emma grabbed her phone. She didn't see the small smile on the brunette's face.

"Uh-oh." Regina said as she looked out the window.

"What's uh-oh?"

"They're already here."

Emma jumped up and stumbled outside to see Snow on her large, tempered horse and Henry on his own smaller and russet colored one. "Hey!" Emma said as her mother jumped smoothly down and helped Henry dismount.

Regina came to the door and watched as Henry hugged Emma and then flew up the stairs to grab the brunette's hand. "Mom! Come meet Simba!"

"Simba?"

"My horse! Gramps got him for me!" He drug her over and put a hand on the animal affectionately. Regina approached him and offered a hand. The horse stepped into it willingly and tossed his head down. "He likes you."

"I'm sure there are few horses that Regina has met that haven't liked her." Snow commented and then turned to her daughter. "We brought food and…this!" She shouted happily and brought down a case from the back of the horse.

"What's that?" Emma asked with convincing confusion.

"A violin." Snow's smile faltered a bit. Regina turned her head and watched them as Henry busied himself with his horse.

"Why did you bring that?"

"You asked for it….didn't you?"

"Ummm…what the hell would I do with a musical instrument?"

Snow looked at the case in her offered arms. "You said there was no music and that you needed to write some memos and needed a violin."

"Snow, I said _violet pen_." Emma huffed. "I like color in my documents. A violin? Honestly!"

"Well, Regina used to play and I just thought…" she trailed off with an outstandingly convincing flustered look on her face.

"You play?" Emma whirled on the brunette that had inched closer.

"I did."

"Well, leave it here then."

"Miss Swan, I haven't played in years."

Emma shrugged as if it didn't matter to her either way. "Whatever, take it back, Snow. And next time: a violet pen and some beer would be great." She winked at her mother.

Regina took the bait. "Just leave it; I hate to think what damage it has sustained on the way over here." She took the case from the brunette and went inside to place it on the table. Henry grinned like a fool and followed her.

"Nice, Emma." Snow smirked.

"Not too bad yourself, Mom." She squeezed her arm. "I've been riding today."

"How did that go? Regina hasn't gotten after you with her riding crop has she?"

The image of the brunette with a riding crop in her hands had Emma's knees shaking in desire. "Not yet, but I'm learning."

The look that passed her daughter's face was not lost on Snow. She knit her eyebrows but let it pass. It could be addressed later, if there was anything to address. "Well, she seems to be in a good mood now."

"Yeah, she made breakfast this morning and arranged some flowers on the table-"

"Flowers?" Snow interrupted. "Really?"

"Yeah, umm….irises, roses, and don't-forget-mes."

Snow grinned. "Forget-me-nots."

"Right, they're blue."

"They are. Hmmm…" Snow mussed. "Regina always loved flowers. Whenever I would have a rough night or bad day I would find a flower tucked into my dress or on my vanity."

"Really?" Emma's mind reeled. "But why would she do that?"

"I don't know, I thought, at the time, that it was because she loved me." Snow's voice wavered a bit.

"Maybe she did."

"Emma, really?" Snow sighed.

"But no, wait…listen." The blonde stepped away from the house. "Maybe she did; maybe she loved you and hated you. That can happen at the same time, you know? As a matter of fact; that happens a lot. Maybe that was her way of apologizing for hating you even though she didn't realize it."

Her mother was quiet for some time. "You know, she was a good stepmother. Other than killing my father and trying to kill me that is…she was always gentle and kind with me."

"It's like she's two people or something…" Emma mumbled.

"Aren't we all?" Snow laughed. "Oh, except you." She poked her affectionately. "You're the same through and through; steady and strong and dependable."

"It's funny, I never would have thought of myself as those things until…Henry and…you…and this place." She gestured around. "I was flighty and insecure." She huffed, "Still am sometimes."

"But you belong." Snow said simply. "We're family. Yes, it's weird and bizarre but even before we knew, we were family."

Emma grinned a bit. "Yeah, I belong. My family gives me purpose."

"It's amazing how love can change a person." Snow said thoughtfully.


	19. Chapter 19

Emma was out in the drizzle collecting firewood. The house was within sight with the windows open to coax in the fragrant, rain soaked air. She ventured down to the creak, under the cover of the trees, in search of dry wood. The tall woman had been at the task for an hour when the first chord cut through the mist.

Emma straightened and turned toward the source of the sound. Another chord rose and warbled through the air; vibrating through her core and perking her blood. Collecting her booty, she made her way to the house and dropped it with the healthy stack of kindling under the shelter of the stable. Emma patted the Palomino absently as the music began to flow like water around her. Curious, she stepped quietly toward the window and peered through.

Regina stood with her profile illuminated in the dim light of the flickering fireplace. The violin was tucked securely under her chin and her hair fell down to cover her face. Emma wanted her to turn just a bit so that she could see her features but knew that if she did so, the woman would find her spying. And whatever it was that the blonde was doing, to Emma, it felt like spying.

Regina shifted her body and then the violin sang with soaring notes. The blonde at the window leaned forward, abandoning her place in the shadows to rest elbows on the sill. She watched the brunette stroke over the strings and pluck them randomly with deft and expert fingers. The song began slow and built up toward a raging crescendo as Emma stood, rooted in her place.

The blonde felt as though the music was inside her; coursing through her veins and filling her with longing and desire and hope. The brunette's arms trembled and flexed in her music as though the notes and chords were literally flowing out of her body and across the strings of the instrument. It was as though the violin were merely the medium of Regina's passion and longing.

Emma felt tears on her face but didn't care to wipe them away. They flowed as freely and liberated as the music in the air. She felt her heart throb and swell as the climax in the piece crashed over her. She could no more have stopped listening than split herself in half. Regina's movements became more subtle as the music cantered down and curled upon itself like foam in the ocean.

Unable to stand any more, Emma backed away from the window and made her way quietly to the door. She knew now that Regina didn't play music; she _made_ music. The blonde realized that the piece hadn't been written by any composer either in this world or any other. It was obvious that the woman had simply made it up as she went; feeling the chords in her soul and conducting them through the strings and bow of the violin.

Emma opened the door softly as Regina played out the last few notes of her heart and stepped inside as the she brought the instrument down and placed it in its case. She tilted her head back to the side as Emma shut the door and stood silently in the kitchen. Regina turned, "Miss Swan." She acknowledged automatically before noticing the tears on Emma's face. "Miss Swan?" she said a bit more softly and turned her body fully toward her. "What's wrong?"

"That was…" Emma couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't speak. "That was…" She gestured at the air. "Overwhelming." She finally muttered.

Regina shut the case nervously; suddenly self-conscious. "Thank you."

"No." Emma found her feet pulling her forward as though they were magnetized to the woman herself. "Not just overwhelming…" she said and looked into the brown eyes. "It was mesmerizing and haunting and beautiful."

Regina flushed unwillingly. She looked down, "Well, those are high compliments coming from you, dear."

"I'm not through." The blonde didn't know why she felt compelled to keep speaking. The words simply flowed from her tongue without any control. "It made me hunger and fell satisfied. It made me weak and gave me strength. I despaired but felt hope. Regina, I…." Emma stopped and considered that she should be embarrassed as the brunette stood gazing at her open mouthed. But she couldn't stop and neither did she feel abashed. The tears were still trickling down and she knew her eyes were glassy and probably red; but none of it seemed to matter as much as what she had to say did. "I felt touched by it. Like the music was…in here." She brought a hand to her chest. "I've never felt that before…it was like you….you just…." She frowned, trying to find the right words to describe the experience. "It was like I couldn't stop listening, never wanted to go without the music; it was like it sustained me. Like you…sustained me."

Regina looked at her mutely; searching in vain for a quip or comeback that would make the ground stop shifting beneath her feet. But even if she could come up with something, Regina realized she wouldn't, couldn't utter it. The blonde was looking at her, tears streaming, and eyes wide and vulnerable. It was true: Regina played her feelings out into the air. She just didn't realize they would have the same effect on Emma, even more so, as they did on her. Therefore, Regina did the only thing she could. She stepped forward and wiped the tears away from the blonde's face. "I'm glad you liked it." She whispered and looked up at the woman gazing at her. "It means a great deal to me that it…affected you so."

The touch on her face broke Emma's haze and she shook her head. "I'm sorry I listened, I shouldn't have crept in on you like that. It was just so…" She shrugged and Regina smiled.

"Run out of pretty words?"

"Yep, that was all of them." Emma grinned. "But seriously, if you ever want to play again, wait until I can't hear you or you'll find me puddled at your feet again."

The brunette chuckled and caught another tear on Emma's face. The blonde turned her head instinctually so that the woman's caress cupped her cheek. "Puddled?"

"Yes, positively melted." Her breath was warm against Regina's hand and the brunette found her thumb dangerously close to the blonde's mouth. Her eyes automatically dropped to her lips and found them slightly parted and entirely kissable. She swiped the digit across her bottom lip tentatively and then looked up into Emma's green stare. The blonde felt her knees tremble as Regina's thumb stroked her mouth. She nearly moaned but stood still. Her only movement was to bring a hand up to the brunette's small waist. "Regina." She whispered.

The brunette felt a shiver down her spine and she swept her thumb over the soft flesh once more with greater confidence. She could feel Emma trembling and it was then that she realized she too, was shaking slightly. "Are we going to…" Regina blushed and made to pull away but Emma sensed it just before she shifted and brought her other hand up to her hip; holding her there.

"Yes." Emma said and stepped close so that Regina could feel her thighs against her own.

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"Yes, I do. And the answer: is yes." Emma's mouth descended and caught the brunette's.

Regina didn't even pretend to fight. She leaned into the blonde and curled a hand in the fabric of her leather jacket as if to hold her there. But Emma needed no persuasion to stay. She tugged the woman forward by the belt loops of her worn jeans until their bodies were flush upon one another. Their mouths met and found their natural rhythm as they explored one another's lips and tongues. The brunette sighed into Emma's mouth and then blushed when she realized the sound she had made.

Emma felt Regina stiffen and pulled back slowly, nipping at her bottom lip until the brunette felt her legs turn to jelly. She took in the flush on the shorter woman's cheeks and grinned. "What are you smirking at?" Regina huffed, slightly affronted that the woman had the audacity to grin at her offered affection.

"I love when you blush," She kissed her gently. "And when you laugh." She pecked her lips. "And when you roll your eyes." Another kiss. "But I love it especially when you sigh." Her mouth captured hers again in a dizzying kiss and Regina felt herself clutching to the blonde for support.

Heat churned in her stomach as fire leapt in her veins. Regina had never felt this before; it was beyond lust or desire. It far surpassed any passion she had ever known with another person. Even kissing Daniel hadn't been like this. It was fire and gentility at the same time. It was passion and tenderness simultaneously. It dulled her mind and yet sharpened her senses. Regina felt alive in a way that she had never known.

Emma's hands traveled over her hips and toward her back, stroking up and down in tandem to her kisses. The light fingers tripped down to grab and squeeze her full backside and it was the blonde's turn to sigh. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."

Regina laughed. "Glad to know all the cycling has paid off." She brought their mouths back together as the blonde used more pressure with her hands to mold and meld the flesh happily.

Suddenly, Emma's phone went off on the counter and the women jerked apart. Emma looked over her shoulder and shrugged, leaning back down to Regina's swollen mouth. "Ignore it." She grumbled but the brunette shook her head and stepped back. Emma frowned.

"It could be Henry or your mother."

Emma closed her eyes, sighed and brought the phone to her ear as she watched the brunette move to the other side of the room and begin dinner. "Emma."

"Mom, is everything ok? You sound out of breath." Henry's voice came through the phone.

"Uh, yeah kid. I'm good. The phone was on the counter and I had to hustle to get to it." She lied with a twinge of guilt. "What's up?"

"I wanted to see how Operation Panther was going."

"Oh, right, the OP." She said and turned her back to Regina; but she could sense the brunette was listening hard. "Well, it's going pretty good. You had some good ideas about what direction to take it."

"Have you heard her play the violin?"

"Yes. It was really good." Emma was trying to speak in code and failing miserably.

"Is she in the room?"

"Yep kid, really close."

"Oh…that's why you're being weird. " He said. "Well, keep it up Mom and let me know how it goes."

"Sure thing, kid. Want to talk to your Mom?"

Henry paused, "Umm….yeah…"

"Great, Regina-?" She turned to find the brunette right behind her with her hand outstretched. Emma smirked and dropped the cell in her hand.

"Hello, Henry." She smiled and Emma had to stumble away from the stunning display of white teeth against red lips.


	20. Chapter 20

Emma tossed about in her bed. She couldn't close her eyes without seeing Regina's head tilted back, lips parted, and mouth waiting to be devoured. "Damn." She muttered then looked up when she heard mattress springs in the other room; signaling that her housemate was having an equally difficult time with sleep.

The blonde fought with herself for ten more minutes before sighing and rising. _Well, if she kicks me out at least I can use the bullet and drive her mad with the noise._ She thought to herself as she walked through the bathroom and into Regina's room without knocking.

The brunette sat up in alarm. "Miss Swan!" she hissed. "What are you doing?"

Emma crawled right into bed with her and clasped her hands behind her head as she laid on her back. "Couldn't sleep."

"And so you came in here to wake me."

"You weren't asleep either." She retorted.

Regina rolled her eyes and turned her back to her. "Yes, well, you can stay if you will be quiet."

Emma smirked. _So far, so good_. She decided to press her luck by rolling over and running one hand down the woman's back. Regina lurched up and swatted her away.

"Easy!" Emma covered her face from the blows. "I was just going to rub your back; you're so damn tense!"

Regina glared at her in the semi-darkness. Only the moonlight illuminated the room but it left the blonde's features shadowed. "If you must." She said airily and laid back down. Her body tensed as Emma's hand trailed up and down her back but she began to relax as the blonde started kneading her muscles gently. Unconsciously, she raised her arm up and tilted her body so that she could access more of her shoulder.

She noticed that Emma's hands had become less about massaging and more about stroking down her body but Regina didn't dare move. Heat was beginning to pool in her stomach and lower with each trail of Emma's hands. She wanted desperately for the blonde to roll her over and take her hard. At least that she could understand; but the slow, teasing fingertips threatened to undo her.

Emma's hands found the ridges of the woman's ribs and she skated across them over the fabric of her silken night shirt. She knew that the brunette knew this wasn't a massage anymore; they were playing a game. A game that Regina had never played. Emma suppressed the smile on her lips as she felt Regina's breathing pick up and shallow out. She knew the brunette was going crazy and they both loved it.

Regina squirmed incessantly. Her body felt like a live-wire; unable to lie still under the patient and teasing ministrations of the blonde's hands. She shuffled back until her backside connected with Emma's hips. But the blonde didn't change her pace. She simply trailed her hand down to Regina's belly button and up again, curving her course until her fingers skated around the outside of her breast. The brunette's breath hitched slightly and her legs shifted restlessly.

Emma suppressed another smile as she could feel the impatience building within the older woman. She tripped lazily across her ribs to brush her thumb absently across the flesh on the underside of the mound. Regina shifted like a nervous horse and reclined back a bit more to afford Emma a view of her nipples puckering against the silk shirt. The blonde felt the heat in her own veins intensify. She repeated the motion, drawing nearer and nearer the stiff peak as Regina trembled with need and anticipation.

When Emma's thumb clipped it casually on a pass over her expensive nightshirt, Regina bucked up automatically. The blonde couldn't hide her chuckle. The brunette turned and glared at her, opening her mouth for what was sure to be a pithy remark. But the blonde's thumb and forefinger closed down on the peak through the silk shirt and whatever Regina had been going to say left her body. "Oh." She said and arched her back, pressing her breast into Emma's hand.

The blonde nearly lost her shit right there. To feel the older woman pumping her flesh into the warmth of Emma's fingers had her resolve to take it slow slipping. She wet her lips, regained her composure and pushed the brunette gently forward so that she was lying on her side, facing away. Emma felt the question in the air but grabbed her nipple and pinched delicately through the fabric. The brunette arched again, pressing her backside against Emma's hips and throwing her head back.

The blonde nipped at her ear and neck with gentle teeth and a caressing tongue as she continued to roll and flick the sensitive bud beneath her fingers. A low moan erupted from Regina as she reached back and grabbed Emma's thigh with her hand, digging her nails into her flesh possessively. The sensation drove the blonde wild. "Easy, tiger." She said, "We've got all night."

"Mmmm." Was Regina's only response as she felt her folds grow wet with anticipation. Never had she felt desire this sharp. "This can't last all night."

"Can't handle it?"

"I can handle anything you can throw at me." She said confidently. "But I do need to sleep at some point, Miss Swan, so if you would hurry up."

Emma growled slightly and pinched her nipple through the shirt before dropping her hand down to the hem to feather touches across the bare skin of her tight stomach. Regina's breath caught again as the fingers swirled upward across her ribs and then alongside her breast.

"No, we'll go slow." Emma smiled at the growl in the other woman's voice.

"Because you need to control the pace."

"Because you deserve to be taken slowly." Emma responded mildly as her fingers caressed the soft, delicate skin under the swell of her breast. "One does not hurry when making love, Regina."

The brunette felt a shudder of anticipation at the blonde's words. She also felt another emotion surge forward but pushed it away as Emma continued to tease. She longed for the blonde's hands and mouth everywhere. She wanted to urge her forward and spur her into action as she would a horse or a soldier. But Emma Swan never did a damn thing Regina wanted anyway. Why would sex with her be any different? "Stop teasing me, Miss Swan. Or are you stalling?"

Emma laughed and Regina frowned. This was not the reaction she wanted. "Don't play that game with me." The blonde's thumb connected with her nipple and the brunette fought the urge to cry out in surprise and lust. "I know what you're doing." She circled the stiff peak and the older woman felt that she might die. "That's not going to work tonight, Madam Mayor." Deft fingers clamped down and this time Regina did cry out.

"Oh!" She said and rolled her body against Emma's instinctively. The blonde rolled her on her back and moved to the other nipple so that she could rub her closed lips across the previously stimulated peak. Usually, the brunette would have objected to being on her back. With any other lover, she would have flipped them over and set her own pace. But at the moment, her limbs had turned to mush and all she could do was bring her hands to Emma's hair and thread through the tangled curls.

Emma smiled against the silk and continued to pinch and roll across the peak with her fingers while her mouth traced the outline of the other through the shirt. She closed it in her mouth and clamped it lightly between her lips, sneaking out her tongue to pressure the captured nub. Regina tugged on her hair; urging her to continue, to take it into her mouth, to consume her.

"Easy, I'd like to keep my scalp on." Emma murmured and received a rough yank in response. She growled and bit down lightly on the peak through the shirt. Regina moaned quietly and relaxed her hands to stroke down Emma's smoothly muscled back.

The blonde found that the way the brunette responded to her teasing and love making was almost virginal. As if this was entirely foreign to her. The realization that it probably was a new experience made her slow down even more; determined to draw it out. She wet the silk with her mouth and then blew across it; causing Regina to arch into her mouth as her nipple responded and goosebumps broke out across the rest of her body. Emma shifted under the sheets to straddle her gently and begin unbuttoning her shirt.

Regina peered up at her and, upon realizing her mission, moved her hands to try and help. But Emma swatted them away. "Miss Swan!" Regina huffed.

"Just stop, ok? Let me do this. You just enjoy."

Regina rolled her eyes dramatically but sat up when Emma pulled her shirt down and off her shoulders. The blonde tossed it away and looked down at the woman's skin, paled by the moonlight coming in the high windows. The brunette waited for her to move and when she didn't, she looked up at her curiously. "What?"

"You're beautiful." Emma breathed and stroked down her flesh. "Like if someone poured marble into the mold of a goddess."

"One does not pour marble, it is sculpted."

"A sculptor couldn't do this." Her fingers trailed down Regina's skin, leaving tracks of fire behind them. Across her ribs, down to her navel and back up to flick a nipple. The brunette's breath caught.

"Just take me already." She breathed.

"I will." Emma tilted her head and lowered her mouth to her neck to nip and suck lazily. "But I won't be hurried. Next time, we'll do it your way…but not tonight. Not the first time."

"You're putting the cart before the horse, don't you think?" Regina commented huskily. Her voice not rising to quite the level of disdain that she would have liked. But, what can you do when a beautiful woman is sucking your neck and pinching your nipple?

Emma chuckled against her throat and the brunette shivered as her breath tickled her neck. "There will be a next time." She said before slipping down and promptly taking the teased bud into her mouth.

The brunette couldn't even voice the sarcastic cackle she had been planning. Once Emma's mouth was on her breast, she couldn't lie still. She rolled her hips against the blonde's core and it was the tall woman's turn to take in a sharp breath. She pressed one hand to Regina's lower stomach and held her down as she switched breasts and continued the torture.

Once the brunette's breathing was erratic and choppy, Emma moved lower to nip at her ribs and lower still to kiss her tight stomach. She reached the line of her silk pajama bottoms and ran one finger along the waistband.

"Mmmm…" Regina murmured.

"These have to go." Emma said. No sooner had the words come out of her mouth then Regina was pulling them down and tossing them aside. She laid back down and looked up at the blonde.

"Not a word." She growled.

"Me?"

"Who else? Don't say anything about being eager."

"You seem to be putting an awful lot of words in my mouth."

"I'd like to put something else in your mouth." The woman quipped and Emma laughed loudly.

Emma laughed and said, "Please do tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"What you want in my mouth." Emma smirked as she slid down the brunette's body and spread her legs. Regina opened willingly but glared at her as she fanned warm breaths across her stomach and then sank her teeth into the delicate flesh of her inner thigh.

"I think you know, or you wouldn't be down there already." Regina said with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Indeed, I do." Emma smiled again and kissed a hot trail up her leg until she reached the elastic of the black lace covering her hips. She inhaled deeply and pressed her thumb to the wet material, instinctively finding her clit through the lace.

Regina bucked up in surprise. "Oh!" She said breathlessly. Hands again went to her hair and tugged. "Oh, my." She mumbled as the thumb began to swirl delicate patterns over her lace undies.

Emma smiled and removed her hand to press her mouth to the soaking lace. "Mmmm." She moaned as Regina's musk filled her mouth and trapped her senses. At that moment, all Emma was aware of was the quivering flesh of the woman beneath her. She pressed a hard tongue against the sensitive bundle of nerves and flicked it roughly. On cue, Regina bucked again and Emma found that she loved the feel of the brunette offering her folds up to her awaiting mouth.

Emma also found that she desperately needed to taste Regina, needed the moisture on her tongue, filling her mouth and driving her mad. She sat up, divested the woman of the scrap of soaked lace and laid back down on her stomach. She dipped her head forward and licked up the length of her sex.

"Oh god." Regina moaned. "Oh, yes." Her voice was deep and husky and saturated with need.

"This is ok?"

"Oh my, yes." The woman groaned as Emma repeated the motion and then flicked the nub roughly. "Right there." She said and Emma stifled a chuckle.

"Here?" she sucked on the bud.

"Ooooh." The brunette moaned and tugged her head forward. "Yes."

The blonde brought a finger up to trace the wet entrance of the brunette's body as she continued to lap at the swollen bundle. She tentatively pressed the digit into the tight heat of the woman and Regina moaned again to feel Emma within her. "More?"

"Yes."

Emma pulled out and stuck two fingers in, sliding them easily up to her first knuckle into the slick fire of Regina's body. The brunette urged her to deepen the digits by lifting her hips. When the fingers were fully inside her, Regina groaned. "You're so tight." She wondered and corkscrewed the fingers around to press against the flexing walls. She was rewarded with a moan.

She began pumping them in and out slowly, allowing the brunette to adjust as she continue to work on her clit with expert precision. "Harder." Regina's voice husked and Emma obeyed, picking up the pace and curling her fingers. She felt the brunette's folds tighten as she rolled her hips against Emma's face.

The blonde's resolve broke in that moment and she set a faster pace with her fingers as she pulled the bud right into her mouth and flicked it as she sucked. She heard the brunette cry out in surprise and need before pulling on her hair and grinding her heat into Emma's mouth. "Oh my god, Regina." Emma moaned as the slickness between her own legs increased indefinitely.

The brunette felt pressure mounting within her. She felt it well up inside like magic and press against her flesh. The heat stemmed from her core and flowed outward until she thought she would burst. "Emma, I…I think…" she gasped as Emma's fingers curled within her. "I think I'm going to….to …I'm going to-"

"Come." Emma didn't know if she was finishing Regina's sentence or instructing her. But at that moment, she watched as the waves came crashing down on the brunette. She jerked upward, pistoning her hips into Emma's face and fingers. Her walls clamped and released the digits rhythmically as the orgasm swept across her like wildfire.

"Emma…"Regina murmured and threw back her head as it ripped through her body. She collapsed backward in a heap of limbs. The brunette felt gloriously numb and incredibly satisfied at the same time. She recovered to find that the blonde was still watching her. "Miss Swan? What would you have me do for you?" She asked with a purr.

Emma shucked her clothes quickly and straddled her thigh. "Nothing, just watch." She lowered her naked, throbbing sex to Regina's thigh and moaned on contact. The brunette's eyes widened as she felt the slick evidence of the blonde's arousal.

"You became that aroused watching me?"

"I think I did more than watch." Emma snipped and rubbed her swollen clit along the smooth flesh. She braced her hands on either side of Regina's head and arched her back wantonly.

"But, I didn't even touch you."

"No, touching _you_ did this to me." Emma confirmed and pressed down again, shuddering at the delicious sensations tripping across her flesh.

"May I touch you now?"

The uncertainty in the brunette's voice had Emma peering down at her with smoldering green eyes. "Of course, if it would please you."

"It would." Regina smirked and cupped her breasts in her hands, palming the flesh and flicking her nipples roughly with strong thumbs. "Oh yes, I am very pleased." She murmured as Emma shivered at the satisfied note in her voice.

She rolled her hips again and knew it wouldn't be long before she too, was tipping over the precipice of climax. She leaned forward and pressed her mouth to Regina's. The brunette opened willingly and kissed her back passionately. She wrapped her arms around Emma's bare back and her hands traveled down to squeeze her backside while pressing the length of their bodies together. "Oh, fuck, Regina."  
"Ride me." The brunette said softly into her ear before taking the lobe in her mouth and pulling at her ass to get Emma to thrust against her.

Emma moaned and writhed as Regina suckled her ear and set the pace with her hands on her flesh. She rubbed her sodden folds against the now slick thigh of her lover and panted as the peak drew nearer. She wrapped her arms around the brunette and thrust against her, rocking their bodies together until the pressure became too much.

Emma lurched forward and bit down on her earlobe fiercely. Regina cried out in satisfaction as strong teeth sank into her flesh. "Oh fuck!" Emma whimpered into the woman's ear and the brunette found that she would never tire of hearing that. "Oh, Regina…." She moaned and came as she thrust against the older woman powerfully; riding her thigh over the edge.

Emma collapsed against her and rolled off. She laid on her back and stared up before turning to her side and pulling Regina into her warmth. The brunette looked up at her curiously and swiped a tentative hand down her own thigh to find the slick, musky residue. She smiled slightly and rubbed it away before curling against Emma and falling to sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N- I have had an overwhelming amount of messages about updating this fic and I want to offer an apology to all those that have been waiting so patiently. Life has sidetracked me as it tends to do. However, here is the update that has been a long time coming. Perhaps not so epic as you would have hoped; but there will be more to come.

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Emma awoke in the morning, tangled in Regina. A slow smile lit her face as she relived the experience of the previous night. She could still hear the brunette's whimpers and feel her trembling beneath her. The blonde rolled up from the bed and kissed her lover awake. The brunette's dark eyes opened and dilated in the bright morning sun. She peered up uncertainly at the blonde hovering over her. "Good morning." Emma smiled.

"Good morning." Regina answered somewhat stiffly.

The blonde's heart sank as she realized that the brunette was playing the situation off with aloofness. Emma pulled back and began pulling on her clothing as Regina pulled the sheet up to her chin; realizing her nakedness. "So last night didn't happen, eh?"

The brunette eyed her warily. "I don't see how it changes anything, Miss Swan." She said. "We both know it was just a fluke."

"Right." Emma said and turned on her heel to head into the bathroom. "I'll cook breakfast."

Regina watched her go as cold self-loathing crept into her heart. She shook her dark head, knowing that it couldn't be any other way and pushed herself from the bed.

They spent a very quiet next few days together. On the third day, Snow showed up with the Blue Fairy by her side. Emma had been outside, stroking the horse when her mother and the fairy showed up. "Snow? What's going on?" She heard the door creak open and knew Regina had poked her head out in wary curiosity.

The newcomers exchanged a glance. "Mother Superior thinks she can help Regina."

Emma heard a soft exhale from the direction of the door. "Help? How?"

"I can remove the arm band."

The air was thick with unanswered questions as the three women from the Enchanted Forrest considered one another. But was Emma who broke the silence. "Why now? Why couldn't you have done that before?"

Snow looked at her daughter. "We had to know she could be trusted."

"Trusted with what?" Emma asked with uncertainty.

"Trusted not to do something evil." The fairy said earnestly.

"How can you possibly expect her to prove something like that?" Emma asked, not glancing back to see the stunned expression the brunette's face; it had been a long time since someone had stood up for the Evil Queen.

"By proving that she can be honest." Snow answered, her eyes never leaving Regina's.

"Honest?"

"How was it that Tamera and Mendel caught you in the first place?" The rightful queen asked her step-mother.

Emma whirled around to regard the brunette who stood frozen in the doorway. The blonde had not considered how they had captured the woman; she had only concerned herself with making sure she got better. But she found that she was curious as to how two non-magic people had been able to subdue Regina.

"You might as well come in, it's a long story." The woman said with a sniff of disdain before disappearing into the house. Blue followed immediately as did Snow, but Emma hesitated; wondering if she really wanted to hear this tale. Deciding she didn't but had to, she followed.

Regina began her story and talked without emotion, without pause or hesitation, until it was finished. Snow sat with a furrowed brow and Blue had an expression of confirmed suspicion. But Emma stared at the floor; unwilling to admit that she was hurt and disappointed. When the brunette finally ended her tale, she sat back and looked past the faces of her audience, out the window of the cottage.

"This kill-switch, they took it?"

"No."

"But the diamond-"

"Was a decoy." Regina murmured. "The actual kill-switch is safe."

"Where?" Blue asked.

Regina just stared at her with derision. Snow sighed dramatically and the fairy clicked her tongue. "I had hoped to find you remorseful. Emma said that you were healing and adapting well to having no magic."

"Did she?" The brunette cocked her head to the woman looking at her boots.

"Damn it Regina," Emma murmured. "Don't play me like that." She met her gaze. "Tell them where the damned thing is so that they can get that band off your arm."

"You're not afraid I'll go on rampage and kill everyone once I have my magic back?"

"No." Emma said quickly before either her mother of the fairy could make the situation worse. "You and I both know that wouldn't make you happy." She pinned her with her eyes.

Regina sighed, "Check the lining of your jacket."

Emma cocked her head. "What?"

"The lining of that god-awful red jacket." The woman snapped. "I placed it in there; no one would have expected me to trust you with it."

"Ingenious and quite true." Blue murmured as she watched Emma go to the coat rack and pull down her favorite jacket. She fumbled in the pockets and liners of the coat until she pulled out a small, flat stone. It seemed completely ordinary in every way; with the exception of the fact that it grew warm in her hand rather rapidly.

Snow frowned. "It looks like a normal rock. How do we know it's not another decoy?"

"I can feel the magic." Emma whispered and walked back across the room to hold it out to the fairy.

"Yes, this is it." She palmed it and dropped it into a leather clutch she carried. Emma noticed that Regina eyed the purse with interest before locking her eyes with Blue's and holding out her arm. The fairy took her wrist delicately in her hand and retracted her wand. With a wave and puff of gentle smoke, the band disappeared.

The fairy and the beloved queen looked upon their nemesis with apprehension. But Emma regarded Regina with hurt and betrayal. All four women knew there were arrangements to be made now that the witch was again at full power.

"I suggest a meeting." Snow cleared her throat. "A meeting of all members of our original cabinet with the addition of Emma and Regina."

The women looked up in identical surprise. "Why?" Regina's mouth curled. "Keep your enemies closer?"

"I don't consider you an enemy any longer, Regina." Snow sighed and considered her oldest foe. "But not everyone feels that way. The only reason you are still alive is because the people of the Enchanted Forest love Henry and trust Emma. You owe both of them your life right now."

The brunette's lip curled again in derision. "I need no reminder-"

"Too bad." Blue cut her off. "We can't make you pay for your crimes; but we can hold you accountable to your son. I think Henry would side with us in saying that you do owe the citizens of your realm rather a lot."

Regina looked ready to sink her teeth into the fairy, but instead, with eyes blazing, lowered her head and spoke into her hands. "What would you have me do?"

"Help us figure out a way to stop the outsiders."

"We will alert you to the whereabouts and time of our meeting." Snow said, rising from the couch and considering her daughter seriously. "You can come home now, Emma."

The blonde met her gaze and shrugged. "Right. Home." The word sounded funny in her head and she realized that she had come to associate the little cottage she shared with Regina as 'home'.

Emma watched the two women leave; as before, she could feel Regina's eyes on her. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked her without turning.


	22. Chapter 22

"I prefer not to put all my eggs in one basket. Especially one that happens to be the daughter of my nemesis and the mother of my son."

"That's not what this was about." Emma still didn't turn. "This goes beyond not trusting me."

"Well, Miss Swan, since you know my motivations perhaps you would like to enlighten me?"

Emma turned and glared at her with fiery green eyes. "You were ashamed."

"Ashamed?!" Regina laughed.

"Yes, ashamed." The blonde confirmed, balling her hands into fists. "You fully intended to take Henry and lay waste to the rest of us with your little fail-safe. And then it backfired and you got yourself into a sticky situation that _I_ saved you from." She emphasized with a jab to her own chest. "My family went out of their way to keep you alive." She turned her back to the woman's cold eyes once more. "You felt regret and shame that you had been so quick to kill us all in your attempt to save your own hide. We helped you-"

"I never asked for your help!" Regina exploded and was off the stoop and spinning the blonde toward her. "I never raised a hand for you to toss the life-preserver!" her dark eyes bore into the blonde's green ones with fury and regret.

Emma shook her head. "No, you didn't have to. And you want to know the saddest part, Regina?" she asked and turned away from the angry woman. "I would do it all again. Even knowing what I know now, it wouldn't change my attempts to help you."

"You're weak and foolish."

"Maybe, but I have no regret for my actions over the past few weeks. Can you say the same?"

The brunette regarded her with a scowl. "I'm no stranger to regret-"

"Cut the crap, Regina!" She pushed against her forcefully and when the woman tried to step back in surprise, she caught her wrist and held her to the spot. "Life sucks! Shitty things happen! But sometimes, good things come along. Good things like second chances and underserved love. Things like Henry!" Emma shouted, attempting to wrangle some sense of understanding into the woman's thick skull. "You _never_ get everything you want and _your_ problem is that in spite of all the heartache, you have failed to learn that." She shoved herself away from the brunette and retreated a few steps.

"Miss Swan-"

"I'm not finished." Emma snapped and pinned her with her furious green eyes. Why couldn't she understand? Why couldn't she learn from her mistakes and be the woman that Henry needed? The woman that Emma needed…._wait, what?_ She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Regina, since we have been here, I have seen a difference in you. You're still scarred and battered with your own mistakes, but hell, who isn't?" The regal woman merely looked at her; her expression stony and stoic. "But you've opened yourself up to Henry and to me."

Regina looked away. "What transpired that night was simply need and lust-"

"That's bullshit and you know it, but I get that you can't deal with that right now and that's my fault. You weren't ready for that and I pushed for it. I owe you an apology for that."

The brunette bit down on her lower lip; she didn't want Emma to apologize for that beautiful night. But she found herself saying something completely opposite. "I fear that I have given you the wrong idea of me if you think me so easy as to spread my legs at your first insistence."

Emma sighed, suddenly exhausted. How did this woman always manage to make her feel this way? "God, Regina." She shook her blonde curls. "Look, I don't give two shits if you block everyone else out, but don't force Henry out. He needs you; needs this relationship you two have built. Try to get along with everyone for his sake at least. I know you think you don't care how people look at you; but know that he does and that it hurts him to hear people say nasty things about you."

"My relationship with Henry is nobody's business-"

"But it is!" Emma found anger once more. "They all love him and want to protect him! If they think you are hurting him…well, you've already seen what will happen."

"They will take him away." She whispered quietly.

Emma felt her heart tug for the woman. _God, this is so fucked up, _she thought to herself. "Look, I don't want that to happen." The woman made a disbelieving noise and Emma crowded her space once more. "Really, Regina." Her heart raced as she considered reveling her feelings to this hard, broken woman. "I feel like the woman that I have been living with the past few weeks; the woman that dominates chess and puts flowers on the table and plays the violin…I feel that woman is the real Regina under all this Evil Queen stuff." She waved her hand vaguely. "I'm not saying that you have to share any of that with anyone else, but allow Henry to see it. Allow others to find that there is more to you than power suits and a sneer."

The brunette's face was no longer a mask of indifference, but her bottom lip trembled and she looked down at the sparse space between them. "Maybe that is all there is to me."

"It's not." Emma said quickly. "If you give me a chance, I can help you see that." She brought a hand to the woman's chin gently and lifted her eyes up. "Fight for Henry, fight for yourself."

"I don't know if I can." The brunette said and before Emma could stop her, purple smoke enveloped her and swirled her away from the blonde standing in the woods.

Emma twirled around, looking frantically for her though she knew she wasn't there. "Regina!" She yelled in frustration, anger, and hurt. "Goddamn it!" She screamed and lashed her fist against the nearest tree. She felt that it would always be one step forward and two steps back with this woman. Blood dripped down her knuckles and she brought the ragged skin to her mouth.

Emma knew her first priority was Henry. She knew that she also had an obligation to protect the town. But the woman also knew that Regina wasn't a threat; she wasn't sure what made her so positive about it, but something deep in her being told her that the ex-queen was more danger to herself than anyone else. And Emma didn't find this comforting in the least bit.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N- Thanks again for your reviews on this fic :) Enjoy and continue to leave comments :)

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The blonde slammed the file shut on her desk. _God, being the Savior is hard!_ She thought to herself. It was nearly midnight and she had been going over the huge pile of political and legal bullshit that had been dumped on her. A week had passed since Regina had swirled away from her in the woods. They had held two council meetings and the brunette had shown up, looking her usual stoic self.

However, the insight and knowledge the woman had been able to offer were extremely helpful. Her encyclopedic-like information on magic itself had been useful and eye-opening. It seemed that Regina knew a great deal more than even the fairies. Emma supposed it was because the brunette had dabbled in all sorts of magic whereas Blue had only had experience with that which was good.

Henry had continued to be happy, healthy, and peaceful. It seemed that his relationship with Regina was continuing to bloom and grow and although, the other townspeople were skeptical, Emma knew that Regina had come along far enough to understand that Henry was more key to her happiness than power now. The blonde could see it in the way the woman poured herself into the boy's life and allowed herself to be vulnerable with him. She saw it in the way the boy was excited to see his adoptive mother and over-joyed at her new-found alliance with the rest of the city.

However, just as clear as her devotion to Henry, Emma could also sense Regina's unease at her new position and lack of authority. It was understood that she was magical but that she was abstaining for Henry's sake. But it seemed that, according to those from the Enchanted Forest, Regina had been given quite a few second chances and had continued to screw herself every time.

Emma pushed herself away from the desk and stood, cracking her back and neck by stretching her arms over her head. _But this time she has Henry_. She reasoned with herself. This comforted her because she knew that as out of sorts as the woman must be, as self-loathing and self-destructive as Regina could seem; Henry grounded her. Henry kept her feet on the earth and prevented her from doing something harmful to herself or anyone else.

The woman bent over to stretch out her hamstrings and noticed a sheet of paper on the ground. It seemed to have slipped from her desk. She picked it up and straightened before unfolding it and scanning the flourished handwriting.

_Sheriff Swan,  
In light of the recent events, I have decided that it would be better for all concerned should you take over as Henry's legal guardian. I have included the appropriate form in the folder I delivered to you at the meeting this afternoon. I have signed it; all it needs now to be legally binding is your signature. This is not a ploy or a trick; I simply want what is best for Henry and feel that you, as his actual mother, have the ability to provide him with that.  
-R-_

Emma's eyes stared at the letter unblinking and dazed for a few moments. _What the fuck?_ She lunged to her desk and began raking through the glorious amount of paperwork until she found a bright, purple folder that she remembered Regina handing her earlier that day. She flicked it open and shuffled aside the pages of reports on magical creatures to the back of the folder. Taking the very official-looking paperwork out, she felt her mouth fall open. Part of her thought it had to be a trick.

_Why?_ Was all Emma could wonder. The woman had fought her tooth and nail and poisoned apple for the boy and now she was forking him over? At the very moment that adopted mother and son seemed most content and at-ease with one another? Something didn't sit right with the situation. What was the woman planning? Emma felt a tremble in her stomach as she pictured Regina slitting her wrists or stepping across the town line. _Nope,_ Emma growled internally, _you're not getting off that easy._ She folded the paperwork, glanced across the street to the light on in Regina's office, grabbed her red jacket and was out the door.


	24. Chapter 24

Regina dusted her fingertips across a photo of she and her son. She picked up the pen and pressed it to the paper with a trembling hand. _How do I explain this?_ She wondered to herself. Regina took a deep breath and began:

_Henry,_

_The past few weeks I have had the pleasure of getting to know you again. Your life has been the highlight of my own and, I feel, the only pinpoint of light in the darkness that has been my existence-_

Regina heard a pounding sound and looked up curiously just before Emma Swan came barreling through her door in a flash of curls and fierce eyes. The brunette sat stunned as the woman kicked the door shut, locked it, and strode to her desk.

"What the _fuck_ is this nonsense?" Emma slapped the papers down on the clean desk and Regina flinched at the sound.

The brunette looked down. "I would have thought that was evident." She said, sitting back in her chair and looking up at the fuming blonde. "Is it not what you wanted?"

"Why, Regina? After all this time. Why are you giving in now?"

"Don't tell me you enjoyed fighting over our son."

"Cut the crap." She growled and leaned down so there was barely a foot between their faces. "You're planning something, I know you, Your Majesty. I know you don't let go of something you want unless it's for something else you want."

"Excuse me, Sheriff, you don't know a goddamn thing about me." Regina said quietly, her eyes flashing purple briefly before she tamped down the magical itch in her blood.

"I know enough to be worried if you are too cooperative."

The brunette resisted the urge to snarl. "Sheriff Swan, I have no intentions of unleashing my wrath, once again, on your precious citizens."

Emma straightened and looked down at her in confusion. "What?"

"I'm not planning on hurting anyone-"

"I'm not worried about you hurting someone, Regina." Emma cut her off and the brunette blinked as if looking into a blinding light.

"Then what the hell did you burst into my office for?"

"I was worried you were going to hurt yourself." The blonde said quietly.

Whatever it was that Regina had been expecting, it had definitely not been this. She blinked again in confusion. "Hurting myself?"

"I was afraid you were giving up Henry because you were going to kill yourself or go across the town line."

"You were afraid…" Regina echoed almost unintelligibly under her breath as the implications sank in. "You thought I was going to…" The brunette's heart ached. The blonde had stormed her office and reamed her out because she was afraid she would lose her. _No,_ she corrected herself, _that Henry would lose her. _Still, Regina couldn't deny that Emma Swan obviously cared what happened to the Evil Queen. "Miss Swan," she cleared her throat of emotion, "I have no intentions of going anywhere."

"You're not leaving?" Emma's face shone in relief then snapped in anger once again. "Then why the hell did you give me these?" she shook the papers in her fist.

"I thought it would make things easier for Henry-"

"To hear that you don't want him? Didn't he get that from me already?"

"It's not a matter of wanting." She snatched up the letter she had been writing her son as Emma's eyes fell on it. The blonde plucked it from her hands and looked down.

"Don't you think he will see it that way?" She asked waving the unfinished note. "He still sees only in black and white. Either you want him or you don't; there is no in-between for that child. It's what makes him so infuriating."

"And beautiful." Regina added quietly and Emma looked at her with a strange expression.

"He gets that from you."

"What?"

"The way he sees everything as either this or that but never both."

"I don't think I do that." Regina scoffed.

"You do, but that is neither here nor there." Emma grinned and held out the thin stack of papers. "This is garbage." Regina watched in astonishment as the blonde ripped the pages in half and then into quarters and then into eighths; so on until she had confetti. "Henry has two mothers. We are both his parents and I think that's the way it should be. It's best for all concerned that he has both of us." Emma said and sat down in the chair across from Regina; daring the brunette to refute her.

The ex-mayor considered her for a moment as a smirk tugged at her lips. "For the sake of asking, what exactly were you planning to do should I have admitted to conspiring to hurt myself?"

"Stop you." Emma shrugged as if this were obvious.

"Oh, I doubt very seriously if you could have." She said and shuffled a few pages to the side on her desk. Regina watched the blonde's expression out of the corner of her eye.

"You underestimate my determination."

"To what?"

"Pardon?"

"Your determination to what, Miss Swan?" Regina's eyes sparkled with mischief and Emma suddenly felt like she had the first time she had played the woman in chess; as though she was being set up for a spectacular loss.

"To keep you alive."

"But why?"

"Henry."

"Don't play that card." Regina dismissed and leaned up on her desk to pierce her with dark eyes. "Perhaps Henry is part of the reason, but you were absolutely livid when you stormed into my office earlier; as if I had committed some sort of personal injury to you. Tell me why that is."

"I don't think I could go a lifetime without your snarky, sarcastic comments." Emma swung back, feeling slightly out of sorts.

"Is that all?"

"No." Emma grinned. "I would also miss the face you make when I beat you at something."

"That doesn't often happen."

"But it _does_ happen." Emma laughed. "Like when I beat you at chess."

"That was a fluke."

"You were distracted."

"By your atrociously tangled hair." Regina found it was her turn to feel flustered.

"By my cleavage." Emma grinned wickedly and the brunette jerked her eyes up.


	25. Chapter 25

_"By my cleavage." Emma grinned wickedly and the brunette jerked her eyes up._

"Yes, your garish display-"

"Drove you wild." She finished, relishing the blush on the woman's cheeks. She hadn't realized how much she had missed this; how much she enjoyed goading the usually stoic brunette. "I remember other things that drove you wild…"

Regina felt her body heat. "Miss Swan, I would caution you to choose your words carefully." She stood to hide her need to fidget and stepped around her desk, noticing the way the blonde's eyes traveled up her body. "I'm not as vulnerable as I was that night you crawled between my sheets."

"I see no difference now."

"I have magic-"

"That you aren't using-"

"Are you sure of that?" It was Regina's turn to smirk at the uncomfortable expression on Emma's face. "I would consider my words carefully if I were you."

Emma surprised her by shrugging. "Doesn't matter. Magic or not, I'm still good at what I do; I would have you trembling in moments."

"I distinctly remember you promising that the next time, we would proceed my way." Regina perched her backside on the top of her desk and looked down at the uncertain woman.

"What?" Emma stalled; she _did_ remember saying something to that effect. "I don't remember."

"I think you do…are you backing out of our deal?"

"I didn't realize it was a deal."

The brunette chuckled at the apprehension on the woman's face. If there was anything she liked more than goading the blonde, it was seeing her face when she realized she had been bested. "I think you did, you want to try it my way."

"And you're certain of this…why?" Emma jiggled her leg nervously.

"Because you're still here in my office." She asserted and then lunged for her suddenly. The brunette showed surprising force when she drug the astonished woman up by the lapels of her jacket and spun her around to press her backward against the desk.

Emma fell against her palms but rose up automatically to meet Regina's descending mouth. They connected and the air charged with static energy. Emma moaned into the urgency and need that the brunette poured into the kiss. She felt desperate hands pushing her jacket off and tugging at the buttons on her shirt. She divested herself of these easily and then pushed the woman backward into the chair.

She knelt between her knees, pushed up her skirt, and pulled her soaked panties to one side before sinking her mouth greedily into the woman's heat. Regina groaned in need and linked her heel-clad feet behind the blonde's head as she allowed Emma to eat her noisily. The blonde could sense her desperation and leaned back to look up at her.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to take me." The woman unbuttoned her own blouse and it slipped to the floor. Emma rose up to press kisses to the woman's mouth and Regina could taste her own arousal.

"How?"

"Hard." The brunette said and pulled at the button on Emma's jeans until it popped loose. She then tried to slide the denim down over her ass.

"No, how do you want me to take you?" She clarified and helped Regina get the jeans down, kicking off her boots and tossing her undies aside before ripping down the brunette's skirt and panties. Regina threw back her head when Emma dipped her fingers into her heat.

"On my desk."

_Oh Jesus._ Emma cursed. She stood, pulled Regina up roughly and sat her on the top of her desk. The brunette flinched when the cool surface met her burning center; she leaned forward into the blonde who spread her legs wider and plunged two fingers into her. Regina threw back her head once more and allowed the blonde to nibble her neck and fuck her gently on her desk.

"What do you want, Regina?" Emma murmured into her ear. She knew the brunette was coming undone but that it wasn't enough. She needed to hear her ask for it. But the brunette pulled back and looked up into the green eyes.

"Would you…" She began but looked away quickly, dark eyes full of uncertainty.

"What?"

"Do you mind…toys?" The woman asked quietly and Emma's hands stilled though she continued to flick the woman's clit absently.

"No, not at all." The blonde said breathlessly. "What did you have in mind?"

Regina held out her hand and a swirl of purple enveloped it. When the smoke cleared, she held a black Feeldoe. She glanced at the blonde who felt her knees weaken. "If you don't want to-"

"Oh God, woman." Emma snatched the toy and fitted it inside with a quick wiggle and a low grunt. "Mmmm…." She swiped a hand up Regina's sopping folds and rubbed the lube up and down the length of the phallus. "You are going to be the death of me." She teased and then moaned when she saw Regina's hand grasp the slick shaft and guide it forward.

The tip of the cock slid in easily and the women moaned in unison. Emma shifted forward and pulled Regina closer to the edge of the desk. She dipped her hips and slid higher into her heat. The brunette moaned and lay back on the desk and reached over her head to grasp the opposite edge. "More." She demanded. Emma gave her another glorious inch; spreading her folds and causing her to tremble. "All of it."

"But I don't want to hurt-"

"Miss Swan." Regina's commanding tone caused her green eyes to snap up at the woman and Emma realized that at the moment, she may be the one on top, but Regina was totally in control.

"Yes?"

"Did we not agree that we would be doing this _my_ way?"

"Yes." Emma looked down at the state of the woman on the desk and thought it an odd time to be having this conversation.

"Then do as I say."

"But I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

"Emma." Regina said in a gentler tone. Green eyes met brown. "I want you to hurt me."

_Sweet Jesus_. Emma growled and forced the rest of the toy into her slick heat. She was met with little resistance as Regina arched up and wrapped her legs around her waist. "Fuck, Regina." She murmured as she pumped in and out of the woman until her breasts were bouncing pleasantly and her breathing became panting.

"Harder." The woman demanded and Emma obeyed without pause; she simply picked up the pace and the force. Regina took the pounding and moaned deliciously. Suddenly, she pushed the woman back. "From behind." She demanded and rolled over, raising her ass in the air.

"Holy fuck…" Emma moaned and entered the wet folds again from behind; moaning at the new angle inside her own body caused by this position.

"Spank me." Regina groaned and no sooner had the words left her mouth than she felt Emma's hand coming down on her backside. "Harder." She moaned and was not disappointed. The blonde met her stroke for stroke and responded to her every command. The brunette had never been so thoroughly pleased with a lover as she was with Emma Swan. The woman showed no sign of stopping or hesitation in her deliberate punishment of the demanding brunette beneath her.

For the second time that night, Regina pushed her backward. Emma looked up expectantly as the woman forced her into the chair and crawled astride her. The brunette took hold of the phallus with one hand and slowly impaled herself upon it with a groan of satisfaction as it slid deep within her. The blonde watched in awe as her lover thrust and rocked and fucked herself on Emma's presented appendage.

"Touch me." Regina whispered and immediately found Emma's hands all over her. A long, tapered thumb stroked down to press against her clit as the brunette ground into the cock. Regina threw back her head at the new sensation and Emma clamped her teeth down on her nipple, sucking and flicking as she kept the pressure of her thumb constant and reached around with her other hand to play with her ass.

"Let me make you come." Emma moaned against her breast as the woman rose over her and thrust her hips forward; seeking release. "Please, I want you to come all over my cock." She hoped the words would drive the woman to new heights and was not disappointed.

"Oh, Emma. I'm close…" she whispered and fisted one hand in the blonde's hair. The other traveled down to press against the woman's lower abdomen. "Come with me." She murmured and Emma cocked an eyebrow.

Suddenly, something burst within her and she jerked up in total astonishment. She was _coming_. Emma watched in awe as Regina trembled around her in her own climax and pressed more forcefully against the woman's stomach. Realization hit that Regina had used magic to bring her to a violent orgasm at the same time as her own and Emma moaned loudly as she rode out the supernatural waves of pleasure with the quaking, magnificent woman on her lap.

Regina slumped forward, spent and exhausted and replete. Emma could feel her breath on her neck and she brought a hand up to stroke down the woman's back. Regina looked up at her and grinned wickedly. "I hope you didn't mind that we did it my way." She trailed fingers across the blonde's lips.

"Well…" Emma sighed, "I _guess_ I could get used to it." She jested and leaned up to press their mouths together.

"You assume we will do this again?"

"Yes. And again and again and again." She nodded and looked down at their still-joined bodies. "Until you can teach me to make you come simply by touching your abs." She winked.

"I used magic."

"You did."

"I told Henry I wouldn't." She worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Well, I won't tell him if you don't." Emma winked. "I don't see anything wrong with what you did." She reassured her. "You used it to bring me pleasure, you don't hear me complaining do you?" Regina relaxed a bit. "You're just like Henry; everything in black and white and nothing in moderation."

"If you haven't noticed, I'm not so good with deciding when and what to use my magic on." Regina snapped her fingers and the phallus disappeared; leaving their bodies flush against one another.

"But you have Henry and me for that; we'll help you."

The brunette looked up into the earnest green eyes with hope and gratitude. "I would like that." She said quietly then leaned down and rested her head against the woman's shoulder tentatively.

Emma stroked down the body of the woman curled against her in the chair like a cat. She marveled at the journey they had taken and the long road they still had ahead of them. It was likely that not all wounds could be healed but the blonde knew that the trust and honesty they had established between them was a damn good start. "I would like that too." She whispered to the woman and felt her smile against her shoulder.


End file.
